A Christian Perspective On Life

Movie Recommendation: There Be Dragons (2011)

2012-02-12T16:29:00.001-05:00

There Be Dragons is not a movie about dragons. In fact, it is a movie based on Saint Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei, during the Spanish Civil War. It reminds me very much of the movie The Scarlet and the Black in that it covers a time when the Church was being persecuted and priests were forced into secrecy. As much as I loved The Scarlet and the Black, I think There Be Dragons is even better! It may be a little dark and violent for young children, but it should be appropriate for teenage children and could make for a great family movie. It is also a movie that Christians and non-Christians alike should be able to appreciate and enjoy because it is not overly preachy or religious. It is just a really good story about a really courageous person played by really good actors under great direction. It is not all about Saint Josemaria Escriva though, as the main story is about a man writing a book on the saint and his father's knowledge considering his closeness to Josemaria Escriva. That story emphasizes the need for us to forgive. There are many great lessons and themes that can be taken from this movie. Below is the movie trailer for There Be Dragons. If you have not already, watch this great movie! When you are done, learn more about Saint Josemaria Escriva and Opus Dei. There Be Dragons

Rick Santorum Scores a Trifecta on Tuesday

2012-02-08T09:11:00.003-05:00

Rick Santorum had a HUGE night last night. He won decisively in the 'beauty contest' in MO, and the caucuses in MN. It is not too surprising he won those states, but what is surprising is how decisively he won. He received 55% of the vote in MO (winning in ALL 144 counties) and he received 45% of the vote in MN, which is more than double what Mitt Romney received! But even more surprising than those results, Rick Santorum also won the caucus vote in CO! This was totally unexpected as Mitt Romney won the state in 2008 with 61% of the vote! Rick Santorum clearly has momentum after these 3 wins. Help me get Rick Santorum into the White House. Below is my fundraising page. Please prayerfully consider making a donation. This is the most important election in our lifetime. All that is at stake is our very freedom. Vote Rick Santorum in 2012!

http://fundly.com/michaelduquaine

Thanks and God bless!

Mike

Assisted Suicide Ban Law Needed in Georgia

2012-02-07T09:19:00.000-05:00

I just became aware this week that there is no law banning assisted suicide in the state of Georgia. It was thought that there was a law that criminalized SOME assisted suicides, however this week the Georgia Supreme Court unanimously ruled to criminalize assisted suicide violates free speech. This is outrageous! The intentional killing of a person is not free speech and should not be tolerated in a civil and moral society. We need a law in Georgia banning all assisted suicides. My hope is that pro life citizens in Georgia in large numbers will immediately contact our elected representatives and encourage them to introduce a law banning assisted suicide in the state of Georgia. It is frustrating and sad to learn that a law is not already in place. Please take a few short minutes to contact your representatives and share this news with all your pro life friends. Below is a link to a news story from yesterday's AJC.

http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/court-strikes-down-georgias-1334712.html

Below is a link to easily and quickly contact your state representatives.

Contact your Representative

Below is the email I sent to my state representatives.

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Dear Sir,

I am deeply troubled by the news this week that the Georgia Supreme Court unanimously ruled that laws against assisted suicide is a violation of free speech. This is an outrageous conclusion! The intentional killing of a person is not free speech and should not be tolerated in a civil and moral society. We need a law in Georgia banning all assisted suicides. I am requesting that you introduce a law banning all assisted suicides in the state of Georgia. I look forward to hearing back from you on this most important issue and for your support for a ban on assisted suicide. Thank you for your time and consideration.

God bless,

Mike Duquaine

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Thank you for taking a couple minutes out of your day to write about this very important issue, and for sharing this information with family and friends.

God Bless,

Mike

Movie Recommendation: Soul Surfer (2011)

2012-01-28T15:43:00.001-05:00

Soul Surfer is the best movie that I have seen in a long time. It is a great movie for the whole family. It has strong Christian themes, and it is highly inspirational. The movie is well made as well. Great acting along with a great story. I can unabashedly recommend this movie to anyone and everyone. Below is the movie trailer. Enjoy!

Book Reflections: Through My Eyes

2012-01-27T15:25:00.001-05:00

My father-in-law, a huge Florida Gators fan (I trynot to hold that against him), graciously allowed me to borrow TimTebow’s book; ThroughMy Eyes. Although I am not a FloridaGators fan, I begrudgingly respected and dare I say almost rooted for theirstar quarterback Tim Tebow from 2006 – 2009. Once he graduated from Florida and got drafted by one of my favorite NFLteams, the Denver Broncos, it was much easier for me to openly root for thisyoung man. This book was written by TimTebow to clear up some misconceptions about him, and also to simply give someperspective on his thought process during some of the most critical moments inhis life.

I respect Tim Tebow greatly not so much because ofhis athletic ability or successful college football career, but for hischaracter and his openness about his faith in God. He is humble despite his popularity andalways remembers to give all the glory to God. His faith is real and he is a genuinely good human being. Ask anyone he has ever met. His actions speak much louder than his words. His service to God and to others, especially childrenin need, is so very impressive. TimTebow grew up in a very religious family. His father was a pastor of a church and a missionary who founded anorphanage in the Philippines. As a Catholic myself, Idon’t necessarily agree with every belief or tenant of Evangelicalism, but I do admire people like Tim Tebow who are so passionate abouttheir faith and so open and public with preaching the gospel. I think Catholics could learn quite a fewthings about evangelization from people like Tim Tebow.

Many sports fans are bewildered at the popularityand success of Tim Tebow. His mechanicsjust aren’t good they say. He doesn’thave half the talent as some of the other quarterbacks they say. It doesn’t always look pretty, but somehowthe team Tebow quarterbacks usually find ways to win. Some people call it luck. Some people think he must be getting helpfrom his God. I think the reason thatTim Tebow is successful on and off the football field is quite clear and evident;the man is a leader. He is fiercelycompetitive, sometimes maybe to a fault, and he works harder than most everyoneelse. He believes in the talents God hasgiven him, and he works extremely hard to make sure that he does not wastethose gifts but lets those gifts shine. Tim Tebow has been a fighting against all odds and defying critics hiswhole life; even before he was born.

The story of Tim’s birth is truly inspirational forall, especially those of us in the pro-life movement who are working every dayto fight against the evil of abortion. Iwon’t go into all the details, but Tim’s mom was advised to abort him becauseof some difficulties; his mom and dad refused. Abortion was not an option. Hadthey listened to that advice, Tim Tebow would not be with us today. Just think about how many lives Tim Tebow haspositively affected and even saved in some cases. All life is precious. Tim Tebow is a living example.

Below are some notes that I took while I was readingthis book.

Pro-life story of Tim’s birth isinspirational.
Tim believes winning does matter. I agree!
Let others praise you. Good advice!
Competitiveness, determination, and perseveranceare obvious traits at young age.
Faith has always played a very importantpart in his life.
Playing sports in the yard with hisbrothers sounds very similar to my own childhood experiences.
Tim learns best by doing because he isdyslexic, but he does not believe it to be a disability.
Tim’s dad founding an orphanage isanother great example of the family’s pro-life beliefs put into action.
Prayer was regular in the Tebow household.
Parents encouraged kids to participatein a variety of activities and sports
Quote: “Hard work beats talent whentalent doesn’t work hard.”
There can be a downside tocompetitiveness. Sometimes you can takeit too far.
Tim’s parents went to great lengths togive him an opportunity to fulfill his dream of being a quarterback.
Tim went on his first mission trip tothe Philippines at age 15.
Tim had a prolific high school footballcareer in addition to his most impressive college football career. His High School team won the Florida 4A StateTitle as a senior. He set many records andreceived many awards. He once playedwith a broken fibula – an example of his toughness and perhaps foolishness.
Tim was extremely close to choosing togo to Alabama, but decided at the last minute to go to Florida. The coaches were a MAJOR factor in hisdecision. He is very close with Coach Shula (former head coach at Alabama) and Coach Meyer (former head coach at Florida).
Probably unintentional, but Tim focusingprimarily on his qualities and success sometimes comes off as beingboastful. I would like to hear him talka little bit more about some difficulties and failings.
Tim goes into great detail on somefootball strategies and techniques. Thisis great for football fans such as me, but I imagine some of that informationmight go over the head of or bore the casual fan.
Tim also talks a lot about and goes into greatdetail on his training regimen.
Be prepared to take advantage of youropportunities.
Final Note: Tim Tebow is a great rolemodel for children, but I think he also has something to teach people of allages.

I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

God bless,

Mike

ProLifeCon 2012

2012-01-23T11:53:00.002-05:00

I love Jesus Religiously

2012-01-16T15:34:00.002-05:00

Awesome response from a FOCUS Missionary to a video condemning religion.

Rick Santorum Town Hall Meeting: January 14, 2012 at Tommy's Country Ham House in Greenville, SC

2012-01-16T14:54:00.003-05:00

On January 14, 2012, I had the great honor and privilege to shake hands with a man who I believe should become the next President of the United States; Rick Santorum. I took some pictures and created video documenting my experience at the event. I had an outstanding time and the trip was totally worth it! Rick Santorum is a great man and his wife is a really nice and wonderful person as well. I have so much respect for them and how they have raised their family. My prayers are with them as they endure this rigorous campaign, and may the good people of South Carolina vote with prudence on Saturday. Vote Rick Santorum! God bless America!

Rick Santorum: Catholic or Conservative… or Both?

2012-01-06T14:03:00.000-05:00

In her most recent column,Ann Coulter criticizes Rick Santorumfor being a faithful Catholic and not conservative enough for her liking. Here is a direct quote from Ann Coulter.

“Santorum is not as conservative ashis social-issues credentials suggest. He is more of a Catholic than aconservative, which means he's good on 60 percent of the issues, but bad onothers, such as big government social programs.”

My response to Ann Coulter’s criticism of Rick Santorum:

In the interest of full disclosure, let me start off by sayingthat I have never been a fan of Ann Coulter. I have never ascribed to her brand of conservatism. In addition, I have always found her to be anargumentative, arrogant, divisive, rude, and in general unlikable person. However, I believe that I can make anobjective response to her criticism of the presidential candidate whom Isupport.

“Santorum is not as conservative as hissocial-issues credentials suggest.”

Ann Coulter seems to concede that Rick Santorum is a strongsocial-issues conservative. His strongdefense of traditional marriage and the protection of the unborn are well knownand unparalleled among his peers running against him in the RepublicanPresidential Primary. He is passionatelypro-family and pro-life, and he is the only candidate who frequently makes theconnection between these most important social issues with the issue manyvoters determine to be most important issue; the economy. He not only openly and publicly advocates forthese social issues, but he shows consistency by living these values in hisprivate life. He is the father of 7children, the youngest of which suffers from a very serious condition called Trisomy 18, and he has been married tohis one and only wife of 21 years. Ihave not met any of his children, but I have heard his oldest daughter andoldest son interviewed and they appear to be very impressive young people. Rick Santorum and his wife, whom he humbly givesmost of the credit, have raised a very impressive, inspiring, and spirituallystrong family.

“He is more of a Catholic than a conservative,”

This is a little like comparingapples to oranges. Catholicism is areligion whereas conservatism is a political philosophy. A person can be both a faithful Catholic and havea conservative political philosophy. Thetwo are not mutually exclusive, and in fact I would argue most often the two alignthemselves together. However, Catholicismdoes not align itself completely with any political party or politicalphilosophy. Catholicism is thefoundation for WHAT Rick Santorumbelieves, and conservatism is the HOWRick Santorum believes government best addresses and preserves the “what” it ishe and his religion believes. FaithfulCatholics point toward the Nicene Creedand the Catechism ofthe Catholic Church as guides to what we believe as Catholics. Conservatism does not have such clear,distinct, and universal guidelines, and therefore it is open to moreinterpretation. There are many differentforms of conservatism as well; fiscal, social, etc. Apparently, Rick Santorum doesn’t fit intoAnn Coulter’s definition of conservatism. I will discuss more on this later, but her above comment is more about acomparison between the beliefs of Catholicism and conservatism. What drives Rick Santorum? I believe that Rick Santorum does place moreimportance on being faithful to his religious beliefs than he does in politicsor political philosophy. He has proventhis in his private life, public life, and political career. He is not afraid to take politicallyunpopular positions on issues that are very important to him, his family, andhis faith. As opposed to this being apoint of criticism and contention, I think this is one of the greatest reasonsto support Rick Santorum. His faith, nota political party or philosophy, forms his beliefs. I believe many politicians and political correspondentssuch as Ann Coulter make their political philosophy their religion. Not Rick Santorum, and to that I say bravo!

“Which means he's good on 60 percent of theissues, but bad on others, such as big government social programs.”

I am not sure how Ann Coulter comesup with the 60% number, but apparently she has an awful lot of criticisms ofthe Catholic Church. Interestingly, herfather was Catholic. Ann herself is notvery religious; she says she has general Christian beliefs but that she doesnot declare membership to any particular denomination. I only point this out to get some greater perspectiveon her comments. Ann’s conclusion isthat Catholicism supports “big government social programs,” and leaves open theinference that there are other complaints she has with Catholicism. The problem with Ann’s comment is that herinsinuation that Catholicism supports big government is untrue. As I noted earlier, the Church does not takepolitical sides. The Church is concernedabout the poor and vulnerable among us, but the Church remains neutral in howbest to serve the poor. Some faithfulCatholics may conclude upon their own deductions that big government socialprograms are the best way to support the poor. I would disagree. The great thingabout Catholicism is that this is perfectly ok. You see, faithful Catholics can disagree on HOW to fix societal ills andproblems so long as we acknowledge and agree upon the problems themselves andthat our intentions to solve the problems are pure and real. Rick Santorum believes, as I do, that we canbest help the poor by empowering them as opposed to making them slaves to thegovernment through big social programs. Rick Santorum’s record favorably supports his statements on limitedgovernment. One of his greatestachievements as a member of the U.S. Senate was welfare reform, whichencouraged poor people to work and helped lead to some of the lowest numbers ofpoverty in United States history. RickSantorum’s concern for the poor is especially refreshing considering that hisparty is often criticized for not caring about the poor. “Santorum'sdriving interests: more efficient government and a keen interest in helping thepoor — the latter motivated in part by his devout Roman Catholic faith” – USA Today. There are ways to help the poor, such as welfare reform, that are not atodds with the conservative philosophy of limited government intervention. Inmy opinion, Ann’s characterization of Rick Santorum as a supporter of biggovernment social programs is a much distorted characterization of the man. It is also very hypocritical and ironic.

What makes Ann Coulter’s criticismof Rick Santorum for not being conservative so hypocritical and ironic? She is endorsing perhaps the most liberalRepublican running for President; Mitt Romney. Enough said.

God bless,

Mike

Is Rick Santorum Catholic?

2011-12-19T21:52:00.000-05:00

Some Ron Paul supporters are questioning the faith andpro-life credentials of Rick Santorum. Here are just a few comments taken from Rick Santorum’s Facebook page.

1.) Sylvia You sir, are no CATHOLIC. Shame on you!

2.) Sylvia Pro life???????? You gotta be kidding. We are in so muchtrouble. Ron Paul help us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3.) Jonathan he's anti god, anti love and he doesnt care if the old orpoor has heating

4.) Scott ‎@Michael Yeah he's a great catholic if youre an american.but if youre muslim, hide your family. He's become just as big of a disgrace tothe faith on the right, as pelosi has become to the left.
Sorry, but it had to be said.

Where do I even begin? First of all, I have nothing against Ron Paul personally. I disagree with some of his political views,but he seems a like a decent human being. However, some of his rabid followers and supporters are simplycrazy. I believe the above comments onlyfurther confirm this conclusion. Let meaddress each of the comments above very briefly.

1.) Sylvia, who are you to say that Rick Santorum is notCatholic? Was he not baptized into theCatholic faith? Does he no longer attendmass or profess a belief in Catholicism? Your statement is untrue. RickSantorum is a very faithful Catholic who frequently attends mass, and it isvery evident that his faith is a very important part of his life. It would be one thing to say that in youropinion a couple of his political policies may not be consistent with theteachings of the Catholic Church. Iwould disagree with that assessment, but you would be free to your opinion. However, to say that the man is not Catholicis both insulting and flat out wrong! Shame on you, Sylvia, for your false accusation against of RickSantorum.

2.) Rick Santorum is pro life. I really shouldn’t even have to address thisbecause he has been so clear and outspoken about pro life issues, but forSylvia’s sake I will say a few words. Infact, Rick Santorum is the one presidential candidate that time and againbrings up pro life issues in debates, in town hall meetings, at crisispregnancy centers, and virtually everywhere he goes. He is a pro life champion. It really is ridiculous to question his prolife credentials. Even Rick Santorum’sgreatest critics will acknowledge that the man is passionately pro life. The plea for Ron Paul to help us reallysounds desperate. It almost sounds likethis lady worships Ron Paul. I hear thisa lot from Ron Paul supporters; Ron Paul is the most pro life candidate becausehe delivered over 4000 babies. I thinkit’s wonderful that he delivered so many babies, and I don’t question that RonPaul is pro life, but the fact that he delivered babies does not make him prolife. There are abortion doctorsthat also deliver babies. Does that makethem pro life? Rick Santorum is a father of 7 children. To me, that is the most clear indication that a man is pro life. What are the candidate's policies and how will those policies help protect life? Ron Paul thinks these issues should be resolved by the state, but Rick Santorum believes that no state has the right to deny any person the right to life. Which of those beliefs and policies is more pro life? Rick Santorum is clearly the most pro life candidate in this Republican Presidential primary.

3.) Ok, this one doesn’t even warrant a response. Next.

4.) Scott is all over the place. Let me try to respond to each of his pointsindividually. First, Scott suggests thatSantorum is a great Catholic if you are American. This comment makes absolutely no sense. I guess I would say to Scott that I am anAmerican, and I believe Santorum to be a good and faithful Catholic. I am not sure that the fact that I amAmerican has anything to do with it, but other than the fact that his commentmakes no sense I don’t really have anything else to say. Then Scott says that if you are a Muslim,hide your family. This is just aridiculous statement that once again makes no sense whatsoever. Is he suggesting that you are either Americanor Muslim? I don’t get it. I happen to be a Christian living in America,but there are hundreds of thousands of Muslims that are also Americans. Additionally, it is absolutely ridiculous tosay that Muslim families must hide in fear of Rick Santorum. He has no hatred or agenda against peacefulMuslims. He is very concerned about theradical element of Islam, which is determined to do any and everything todestroy and kill us who they label as infidels. The fact that Rick Santorum is aware of this threat and steadfast inprotecting the citizens of the United States does not in any way suggest thathe hates Muslims. Rick Santorum believesin the freedom of all people to freely practice their religion. Lastly, Scott attempts to compare the faithof Rick Santorum to Nancy Pelosi. This comparisonis so off base. Rick Santorum does notdefiantly, openly, and publicly state false beliefs and statements aboutCatholicism in direct conflict with the USCCB on the foundational teachings ofthe Catholic Church unlike Pelosi. Pelosi actively promotes abortion, gay ‘marriage’, and other anti-Christianpositions despite the very clear teachings of the Catholic Church against thesefundamental issues. She promotes thesethings while at the same time trying to justify her evil positions as ‘catholic’positions. Pelosi dangerously tries tomislead Catholics and all voters, and she misrepresents the teachings of theCatholic Church even on the most important issues such as abortion and marriage. Rick Santorum does none of the above. It is so refreshing to have a Catholicpolitician like Rick Santorum who actually believes in the essential teachingsof the Catholic Church and strives to live a Catholic life both privately andpublicly.

I have no problem with people who disagree about a candidate’spolitical positions. However, it upsetsme greatly when people make such false and completely ridiculous statementsabout a candidate’s faith. I find it amusingthat Rick Santorum, who is the most consistent and passionate pro life socialconservative, is being criticized by some as not being pro life. Rick Santorum is a faithful Catholic whoactually believes in and promotes the essential teachings of the Catholic faith,unlike many politicians who tout their Catholic faith despite activelypromoting agendas that are in direct conflict of essential teachings of theCatholic faith. My prayers go out toRick Santorum as he continues his candidacy for the President of the UnitedStates. My God bless him and his familythroughout this campaign. Rick Santorumis a trustworthy, social conservative family man, and I am praying that if it isGod’s will that he will be our next President.

God bless,

Mike

Political Endorsement: The Case for Rick Santorum

2011-12-12T13:49:00.000-05:00

I have been paying very close attention to the RepublicanPresidential Primary nomination process over the past year. I have watched virtually all of thepresidential debates. I have researchedthe history and positions of most of the candidates. I take my civic duty of voting veryseriously. If you have read any of myprevious political themed blog posts, you certainly know that I do NOT supportthe current President of the United States. President Obama has led the country in a very bad and wrongdirection. I disagree most passionatelyand strongly on President Obama’s social agenda, but I also believe that hiseconomic and foreign policies have been detrimental and even dangerous for ourcountry. That being said, I am hopingthe American people elect one of the Republican candidates to become the nextPresident of the United States in 2012. So who do I endorse and support, and how did I come to that conclusion?

I am endorsing Rick Santorum for President of the United States!

Rick Santorum presidential announcement

Four years ago I supported Mike Huckabee, and I was hopefulthat he would run again. However, whenhe decided to stay at Fox News and continue his awesome show, Huckabee, I knewthat I needed to take a serious look at the other candidates. Fairly early in the process, I had a strongfeeling that Rick Santorum would be my choice. Why have I chosen to support Rick Santorum, and why do I encourage youto support Rick Santorum? Let me list mytop 10 reasons.

1) RickSantorum is a man of character.

2) RickSantorum is trustworthy.

3) RickSantorum is a champion of pro-life and pro-family issues

Outsideof the candidate’s character and trustworthiness, the most important issues tome when deciding on which candidate to support are his positions on socialissues; most notably on issues of life and family. I believe that these are the most importantissues, and I want a candidate that not only votes pro-life and pro-family, butsomeone who is a champion of these causes. Rick Santorum does not only say that he is pro-life and pro-family, heactively and passionately works to uphold these most basic Christianvalues. He lives these values. He is constantly talking about these issueswhen many other candidates would rather talk about the economy. For social conservatives such as me, no othercandidate matches the passion and resolve of Rick Santorum. He will fight for the rights of the unborn,children with special needs, the elderly, and everyone in between. Below are a couple of powerful videos. You will see that these issues are more thanjust issues that Rick Santorum checks off to get some votes.

Rick Santorum debates partial birth abortion bill in Senate in 1998

Rick Santorum talking about his special needs daughter, Bella

4) RickSantorum is a proven leader

5) RickSantorum is authentic.

RickSantorum speaks the truth, whether it is politically correct or not; popular ornot. A rare trait these days, especiallyin politics!

6) RickSantorum is concerned about the poor and less fortunate

Conservativesare often accused of caring only about the rich and ignoring the needs of thepoor. In some cases and with someconservatives, this criticism is a valid. However, Rick Santorum is concerned about the poor and his policiesreflect that. He is the only republicancandidate talking about how to help people who do not have a college educationand stressing the breakdown of the family as a significant cause ofpoverty. His economic policy to zero outcorporate tax on manufactures and his desire to bring good paying manufacturingjobs back home for unskilled workers is unique in this republican primary field. He will also push for policies that promote the family, and encourage stability of families by promoting traditional marriage.

7)RickSantorum is knowledgeable about the issues and has realistic solutions to theproblems we face.

RickSantorum is well known for his depth of knowledge and passion on socialissues. However, he is also a verystrong fiscal conservative who also has a great deal of knowledge about nationalsecurity and the dangers we face from within and outside of our country.

8) RickSantorum is a consistent conservative

RickSantorum has been and continues to be consistent in his policy positions. While I believe that a person will makemistakes, can learn from them, and can change their opinion on certain issues,a lack of consistency does bring into question the trustworthiness of thecandidate and the motives for their stated positions. Rick Santorum has not wavered in hisconservative beliefs, and that consistency brings forth a sense of assuranceand trustworthiness that not all of the other candidates possess.

9) RickSantorum is a faithful Catholic

A politician’sfaith may not be the most important deciding factor, but a candidate’sfaithfulness to their religion and the way they live their lives says a lotabout their character. Rick Santorum isa faithful Catholic, who not only goes to church on Sundays but it is said hetries to make it to daily mass, who lives out his life as best he can accordingto the beliefs of the Catholic faith he professes and believes. It is actually very rare these days to findCatholic politicians who actually believe and promote the teachings of theCatholic Church. Have you seen some ofthe things that “catholic” Nancy Pelosi has said and the things she has triedto push? Rick Santorum will fight forthe values of faithful Christians, and that is important.

10) RickSantorum can beat Barak Obama

RickSantorum is a polar opposite of Barak Obama. Rick Santorum offers ideas of real, positive change. He can and will win if the people who sharehis values unite in support of Rick Santorum.

The Iowa Caucuses are just a few short weeks away. Rick Santorum is still fairly low in thepolls. If you base your vote on publicopinion polls, you will likely not embrace Rick Santorum. If however, you are like me and vote for theman or woman that best reflects your values and whom you believe the bestqualified to be Commander in Chief, I believe that you will likely come to thesame conclusion as I have that Rick Santorum is your candidate. I am not sure that I believe in these pollsanyway. Who are they asking? I know I’ve never been asked who I support inone of these polls. These next few weeksare critical for Rick Santorum. He hasspent far more time and worked far harder than any other candidate in Iowa, andfor him to have a realistic chance of winning the nomination he must do well inIowa. That is why I am asking you to goto www.RickSantorum.com to learn moreabout Rick Santorum and his policy positions. It is common knowledge that he has not raised much money. Unfortunately, to be successful in politicsit requires money to get the message out to as many people as possible. He is making a big push this week to raise$250,000, and if you can provide financial support that would be a huge boostto his campaign. However, even if youare not able to support Rick Santorum financially there are several other waysto support him. For volunteeropportunities, please visit RickVolunteer.com. I like several candidates in the RepublicanPresidential Primary field, but I believe in Rick Santorum and trust that he isthe best man for the highest office. Ihope you will join me in supporting Rick Santorum. He is an underdog, but he is also afighter. Please don’t give up on RickSantorum. He will not give up on you andyour values. Let’s nominate the bestcandidate this election. Let’s jointogether to help Rick Santorum become the next President of the United States!

God bless,

Mike

Book Reflections: The Problem of Pain

2011-12-10T14:20:00.001-05:00

C.S. Lewis continues his defense and explanation of Christianity in his book, "The Problem of Pain", by addressing a common difficulty all of us experience; pain and suffering. Many unbelievers point to pain and suffering in the world as proof that a loving God does not exist. Pain and suffering can even lead believers to start to question their belief in a loving God. On the surface it may appear to be contradictory that a loving God would allow suffering in the world, but this leads us to even deeper questions and contemplation. As a former atheist himself, C.S. Lewis understands the thought process of many unbelievers, and therefore he is very good at addressing common objections to Christianity in a very organized and thought-provoking way. We will probably never fully understand why there is so much pain and suffering in this world, but C.S. Lewis does a good job explaining how and why we experience pain, and how it actually is further proof that God does in fact exist.

When Lewis was an atheist, he pointed to all the evil, pain, and suffering in the world as proof that a loving God did not exist. The question he failed to ask himself was why if there is and has always been pain and suffering in the world would people since the beginning believe in a loving God? Could it just be that they are ignorant and unreasonable? Lewis explored this question and came to the conclusion that it would be an error to reply that our ancestors were ignorant. However, the reality still remains that pain exists. So what is the Christian's explanation for pain?

Christians believe in the omnipotence of God. This means that God has the power to do all things. If God could do anything and everything and he is all good, wouldn't he wish all his creatures to be perfectly happy? His creatures are not perfectly happy, so does this mean that God is not all good or not all powerful? It might seem this is a logical deduction, but upon further contemplation and reflection we discover a different conclusion. Perfect happiness and love requires free will. This gift of free will gives us the opportunity to love, but it also opens us up to the possibility of making bad choices and abuse of our free will. An all powerful God would have the power to correct abuses of free will, but such a world would deny our freedom to love by making evil an impossibility. So the fact that we are not perfectly happy here on earth does NOT deny the omnipotence of God, but is proof of his gift to us of freedom to choose to love or not to love. God has the power to deny us this great freedom, but has chosen not to do so that we might experience love.

If we have accepted that God is all powerful, is he then not all good? God is all good. You might ask how this can be? In one of the later chapters, Lewis talks about the fall of man; the story of Adam and Eve. Because of their disobedience to God, we are all stained with original sin; all of us except our Lord Jesus and his mother Mary. God made all things good. The free choice of Adam and Eve to question the goodness of God allowed evil to enter our world. Evil is not a creation of God, but a consequence of the free will of the first human beings to go against God's will.

Lewis goes into much more detail, but I would just like to state one more thought regarding pain and suffering. It would be wrong to suggest that pain and suffering are good in and of themselves, but it is without question that throughout history much good has come from pain and suffering. Pain and suffering presents us with an opportunity to better ourselves if we offer our suffering up to God. Many of the great conversions have been the result of the suffering of people. Jesus Christ himself suffered greatly. We are reminded every time we go to mass or any time we gaze at a crucifix of the great pain and suffering Christ endured for our salvation. Anytime we feel like our pain and suffering is too much to handle, we need only say a quick prayer and reflect on the passion of Christ and our pain will pale in comparison. Pain and suffering is a part of life, but if we respond to this pain with a loving heart we will be a better and stronger person.

I highly recommend "The Problem of Pain" for any person who struggles with the idea of suffering and for all believers who would like a greater understanding.

God bless,

Mike

Media Review: Mass Confusion

2011-11-29T15:16:00.000-05:00

I had been eagerly awaiting the premier of the pilot episode of Mass Confusion; Catholic TV's new sitcom starring a pair of Catholic couples and their children. The episode aired on Thanksgiving night, and is now available for viewing online. Below is the trailer for the pilot episode of Mass Confusion.

After seeing the preview, I was anxious and excited, but also a little hesitant to get my expectations up too high. Never before has Catholic TV attempted to produce a sitcom. Personally, I think it is a great idea! I think for far too long Catholics and Christians have been absent from the entertainment business. Being Catholic and being Christian is not about being a stick in the mud. As faithful Catholics and Christians we should be joyful, and our joy for life should be clear and frequently expressed for all to hear and see. We must engage the world and reach out to people where they are at, not hide from the world. We don't have to and we shouldn't evangelize in a monotone voice. Who wants to listen to boring radio or watch boring TV? Nobody! Unfortunately "Catholic" or "Christian" media has often been given the label, and often times rightly so, of boring or of poor quality. Just because a show has Christian values should not mean that the show lacks creativity, entertainment, or quality. It is possible to have an entertaining and funny show that at the same time promotes Christian values, but unfortunately the examples are few and far between. Why I remained hesitant about fully embracing this new show before seeing it is because I've never seen an entertaining and funny sitcom based on two Catholic families that faithfully practice their faith. It is a great idea and I want to support it, but the stars of the show are radio personalities, not professional actors, and they were basically working with no budget. Would this show look amateurish or would this look like a sitcom you might see on any given weekday night on NBC? I was anxious to find out.

I am happy to report that the pilot episode of Mass Confusion met and in many ways exceeded my expectations. I found it to be very entertaining and funny. The content was great and the plot was good. It didn't come off as a "Catholic" sitcom, but it was an entertaining sitcom that incorporated the Catholic life without coming off as preachy. The acting was actually much better than I anticipated for people who are not professional actors. The only critique that I had, and I mentioned this observation to one of the main actors Greg Willits, was that at times the audio wasn't the best; especially on a couple of dialogue scenes. Greg responded to me and acknowledged that there were some sound difficulties. Much of that had to do with the limited crew and lack of budget, but they did a very good job considering the limited resources. Despite the occasional audio problems, I saw enough in this episode to want more episodes. I think Mass Confusion is exactly the type of entertainment that families need. It is so hard to find quality family shows these days. I believe there is a big audience that wants this type of programming, but they have not ever been presented with a family friendly show that is actually entertaining and funny. I believe in this sitcom and I am confident if more people see it that they will want to see more too. However, it will not be a success without my and your help. Unless a great number of people watch this episode and contact the people at Catholic TV asking for more episodes, this sitcom will end after just one episode. Don't let that happen. I am asking each of my readers to do the following.

1) Watch the episode of Mass Confusion. Watch it multiple times if you love it like I do.
2) Share the link to the episode with all of your family and friends. If you are on social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter, those are great places to share. If you are not on those sites, old fashioned emails work just fine.
3) Contact Catholic TV and express to them how much you enjoyed the show and that you are really hoping for more episodes. This is the kind of television that you have been looking for and this is the type of programming that families yearn for and need.
4) Pray for the success of Mass Confusion and other Catholic and Christian media.

There is very little entertainment options for families these days, but we are all partially to blame for that. If we would stop watching all these silly reality shows and other garbage and actually support good family friendly entertainment when it is presented to us such as Mass Confusion, we can and should expect more of the same type of TV programming. So again I ask you to do the four simple steps listed above.

After you have watched the episode, I encourage you to come back to this site and leave your comments. What did you think about Mass Confusion? What were your favorite parts? Who is your favorite character? Does anything in the episode bring back memories or remind you of yourself? Did you notice the sound issues or any other problems? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks and God bless!

Watch the Mass Confusion Pilot episode here: http://www.catholictv.com/Mass-Confusion-Pilot.aspx

Contact Catholic TV: http://www.catholictv.com/utility/contact-us.aspx

Book Reflections: Death to the BCS: The Definitive Case Against the Bowl Championship Series

2011-11-14T21:52:00.001-05:00

In case you were not already aware, I am a college footballfanatic. It is my favorite sport towatch. Every fall weekend I am excitedto watch college football. I lovevirtually everything about college football. There is one little problem with college football however, and that isthe Bowl Championship Series or the BCS. Fans from across the country argue every year over the BCS and whatteams deserve to be in the BCS bowl games. I agree that the BCS is not perfect, so I was very interested to readwhat these sports writers from Yahoo had to say. What makes the BCS so bad and what playoffsystem would solve the problem so many fans have with the college footballpostseason? I was hoping that this bookwould have all the answers.

Well, unfortunately this book does not have all theanswers. In fact, as far as I’mconcerned it only brought up more questions. I believe that the writers could have done a much better job making acase against the BCS and I found the tone of the book off-putting. I guess I should have expected as muchwith the title, but it was clearly evident that the writers were angry; furiouseven at the BCS. I got the clearimpression that the BCS is one of the worst institutions in the world. Worse and more corrupt even than the UnitedNations. I understand the frustration,but I believe it hurt the credibility and effectiveness of the argument againstthe BCS.

I really wanted to love this book. That’s the sad thing. These writers were preaching to thecrowd. I wanted to support thedestruction of the BCS and a move toward a playoff. There are several things in this book that Ifound I was in agreement with the writers. 1) The BCS clearly discriminatesagainst smaller schools. It is virtuallyimpossible for a school from a smaller conference to win the National Title andit is extremely difficult to even make it to one of the BCS Bowl games. Teams from smaller schools have to goundefeated to even have a chance to play in a BCS bowl game. 2) I learned that most schools actually losemoney when they go to a bowl game. Thisis unacceptable. Making it to a bowlgame should be a reward, not a penalty. Also, schools should not be required to sell a certain number of ticketsto these bowl games or be forced to pay the tickets they are unable tosell. This practice is ludicrous. 3) The authors endorse a 16 teamplayoff. I like the idea, but believe itis highly unlikely. I would be happywith an 8 team playoff, but I tend to agree that 16 would be the bestsolution. I just have a feeling it won’tever happen. 4) The writers made somefairly effective arguments to some of the common defenses that people in favorof the BCS use to justify not having a playoff. Most of those who defend the current system have very weak positionsthat I’m not even sure they truly believe. 5) If it is truly just about the money, the writers make a fairly goodargument that a playoff would bring in more money and arguably much moremoney. Seems like a playoff is anobvious solution right?

I did find a couple of inconsistencies throughout thebook. I also was confused at times. The writers were railing against bowl gamesin general and often used the absolute worst bowl games to defend their position. Ok. That has nothing to do with the BCS. I thought they were really making a case against all bowls, but then intheir proposal they suggested keeping the bowls in addition to the 16 teamplayoff. So wait, let me get thisstraight. You guys just finished tellingme how awful the bowls are and that most of the bowls actually lose money, thenyou turn around and say that you support bowls in addition to theplayoffs? This contradiction I foundvery hard to look past. It left mefeeling like the writers did not fully think through their plan and that theywere just so unhappy with the way things are now that they didn’t care if theirplan contradicted much of what they just said was wrong. I love the bowl games personally. I might be one of the few, but I really enjoyseeing some of the smaller bowl games. Ido think that they have added too many bowls, but I enjoy the games. I’d be happy to have bowl games in addition toa playoff, but it just seemed like a huge contradiction when the writerssuggested this after basically ripping apart the bowl system.

I read this book as a college football fan. I don’t care about the financialimplications. I don’t care about thebowl executives and who gets rich. I don't care so much about TV contracts. I don’tcare so much about the politics in college football. I know that all this goeson behind the scenes and is what is truly running the decisions surroundingcollege football, but I don’ t care about all that. I am a fan of college football. I enjoy watching the game on the field. I want a system that is fair to all FBSschools and gives all schools a chance at a National Title. If not all schools are eligible, then why arethey even playing at the FBS level? I ama Ball State University alum and I follow the Ball State football team veryclosely. 99 out of 100 years Ball Statewill not have a team capable of beating the best teams in collegefootball. However, there is thepossibility that a senior dominated team could shock the world and go on anamazing run. This kind of Cinderellastory where a team like Ball State could make the playoffs and make a run atthe National Championship is missing in college football. It would make for a much more exciting endingto the college football season and it would be a much more fair system for allschools. It wouldn’t diminish theregular season and actually would probably make the regular season moreinteresting. I support the 16 teamplayoff as a fan of college football. Although I don’t necessarily like the approach of these writers andquestion the effectiveness of their arguments, we are in agreement that the BCSis not the best system. College footballfans deserve a better ending to the college football season. I am hopeful that one day there will be aplayoff in college football. Until then,I will enjoy watching college football and argue with anyone who is willing tolisten over who I think deserves to play in the National Championship and otherBCS games every year. I will continue tofollow my Ball State Cardinals even though I know going into the season thatour best hope is that we go to the Godaddy.com Bowl. God bless College Football.

Deathto the BCS: The Definitive Case Against the Bowl Championship Series

The Penn State Scandal

2011-11-11T13:47:00.001-05:00

I listen to sports talk radio every weekday morning, so I amalways aware of the top sports stories of the day. However, the recent child sex abuse scandalat Penn State has been a national news story extending beyond the sports world. I have heard a wide range of opinions. There is no question that this is a verydisgusting and sad story that brings out very intense and real emotions frompeople. I have heard people call in toradio shows who had been abused as a child themselves. I have heard Penn State alums call into radioshows with mixed emotions. I have seenstudents riot in defense of their ex longtime coach Paterno. Their anger is misguided. While I don’t believe we should be vilifying Paterno,rioting in support of Paterno is just foolish and ignorant. Paterno was fired as head football coach ofPenn State this week; an action that when considering all the information inthe Grand Jury Report had to be taken for the betterment of the University. College kids often do dumb things that theylater regret, so I hope that these students that have been rioting can stepback and take a look at the bigger picture and realize that their actions arenot justified. There are far too manydifferent areas that could be discussed regarding this Penn State scandal, butI want to focus on how we can process this story and take it as an opportunityto educate ourselves and others about the issue of child molestation, and howeveryone can better react and respond when they have knowledge of such asituation.

What Happened?

In case you are unfamiliar with the Penn State Scandal, youcan find the Grand Jury Report on the Sandusky case HERE. One word of warning, the report is at times graphicand extremely disturbing. There are 8victims listed in the report, but there is reason to believe there may havebeen many more victims. Most of the talkhas been surrounding the story of victim #2, because witnessing the abuse was aPenn State Football grad assistant named McQueary. McQueary was disturbed at the sight andcalled his dad. His dad advised him toleave immediately and come home. Thenext morning McQueary notified head football coach Joe Paterno. Paterno passed the information on to hissuperior, the Athletic Director at Penn State. Apparently the AD sat on the information and failed to report tothe police this criminal activity. Paternofailed to follow up on the situation. Therewas known child sex abuse that failed to get reported to the police; therein laysthe great controversy.

Where is theCompassion?

I think far too many people hearing and reading about thisstory are looking for as many people as possible to vilify. There is no doubt that many people used verypoor judgment at Penn State and those people should and are now being heldaccountable for their actions or inactions, but I am more interested in findingsolutions to addressing the very serious problem of child molestation than I amin finding people to vilify. I thinkthat many look at this story with hatred in their heart. I admit that the story is very frustratingand sad, and that it is natural for us to feel angry. In fact, I believe we all should feel somesense of righteous anger, because there are so many innocent kids who arevictims to a terrible crime, and there were adults with knowledge of thesituation that could have done something to stop the abuse. However, we must not harbor hatred in ourheart for the people involved regardless of their actions or inactions. I understand that this can sometimes bedifficult, but harboring anger only makes the problem worse for everyoneincluding ourselves. We should have compassionfirst and foremost for the victims. Nochild should have to be subjected to what these poor kids were subjected to,and we must not forget the victims in the story. We should have compassion for the victims’families. We should have compassion forthe players on the football team, who through no fault of their own have had toendure a torturous week of media scrutiny and have lost their footballcoach. I also believe that we shouldhave compassion for those at Penn State who displayed terrible moral judgment. Their failure to report the incident to policeseems unfathomable, but they still are human beings. We also must pray for Mr. Sandusky who has veryserious and sick problems. No questionthat what he did was terrible. Terrible! It is one of the worst acts that any personcan do, and it was not a single act but a series of acts. No sane person can understand why he would dowhat he did. However, he also is a humanbeing and I do not believe it is productive for us to wish this man damned toHell even if it appears to many that his actions warrant that justice. In the end, God is the final judge. We should pray for this man. This in no way does or should diminish thecompassion we have for the victims and their families. We must also pray that the victims receivethe support that they need from family, friends and the entire community. With all this being said, I do think thatthere is some irony in the public’s reaction to this story.

The Irony of thePublic’s Reaction

I do not want to minimize the very real tragedy of this scandalor the severity of the allegations, and I want to emphasize that the victims inthis case have my full support and deepest sympathies, but I contend that weaccept child abuse every day in this country because we accept abortion, thekilling of innocent children in the womb, as a legal “choice” for pregnant women. Somehow the killing of a child is not nearlyas disturbing to the majority of the public as the abuse of children who havebeen born. I guess it is much easier toaccept and understand an injustice when we can see a face and acknowledge thehumanity of the victim. Personally, Ifind both extremely disturbing. Doctorswho perform the abortions are seen by many as “compassionate” to the women whofind themselves in difficult situations. We can discuss the similarities between abortion and child abuse anotherday, but I did want to mention the irony in how we think of these two issuescompletely differently in our society.

Lessons Learned

At the end of the day, there is no turning back theclock. What has been done has beendone. However, the future is ahead of us,and we can learn from this tragically sad story. We can let this story ignite hatred in ourhearts, or we can look at this story with a compassionate heart. We can see the terrible mismanagement of thissituation as a chance to condemn people, or we can use it as an opportunity toeducate ourselves on the appropriate response to sexual abuse of children andreflect on how we would react if we were in a similar situation. It is easy to say now from the outside andafter the fact that we would do the right thing to immediately stop the abuse,but are we absolutely certain that we would? Sometimes the right thing to do is not alwaysclear to us especially in the moment. Thatis why it is so important that we property form our conscience. Hopefully, with a properly formed consciencewe will know what the right thing to do is when we encounter suchsituations. We can become better peopleand a better society because of this story. The only way we can accomplish this is if we look at this story with acompassionate heart and with a determined resolve to take the news of thisstory to motivate positive change in a messed up world. My thoughts and prayers go out to all victimsof child molestation, especially the victims in this case. May God grant them peace.

God bless,

Mike

Mississippi’s Vote on Amendment 26 Could Be Historic

2011-11-06T23:29:00.002-05:00

On Tuesday, November 8, voters in the state of Mississippiwill have the opportunity to vote on Amendment 26. So what is the Amendment 26 and what is thesignificance of this vote?

Amendment 26: Whatit Says

Amendment 26: What it Means

That all human persons, no matter what stage in their development or the circumstances of their conception, will be protected and respected equally. For those concerned about the mention of cloning, please understand that this does not mean that cloning is endorsed or encouraged. In fact, Amendment 26 would in effect ban human cloning. For an explanation of why the word cloning was included in the Amendment, read HERE.

Amendment 26: Why This Would be Historic

Mississippi would be the first state to adopt a Personhood Amendment. Amendment 26 would effectively end the practice of abortion in Mississippi. It may help to eventually lead to the overturning of Roe vs. Wade. Mississippi was one of the last states to abolish slavery and give black skinned people the equal rights that they deserve. Ironically, just a few decades after the civil rights movement, Mississippi is now widely considered one of the most pro-life states, and if Amendment 26 is passed, Mississippi would be leading the way to addressing the greatest civil rights issue of our current day; abortion.

Amendment 26: Answering the Critics

Of course when there is something as important as defining the term "person" and taking action to protect the most vulnerable children in the womb, there will be fierce criticism from opponents. They know that this Amendment could have far reaching consequences. Those who support abortion don't want to think about when life begins or at what moment a human life deserves rights. The common tactic to dissuade voters on Amendment 26 is to use scare tactics. They use the same scare tactics to try to dissuade pro life people to pray at abortion clinics. I have bad news for the abortion supporters; pro-lifers are here to stay and we are procreating; we actually celebrate and welcome life. Below are some of the arguments against Amendment 26 and the rebuttals to those baseless arguments.

For more information on this most important vote in Mississippi on Amendment 26, please visit this website: VOTE YES TO 26

If you or someone you know lives in the state of Mississippi, please educate them on this issue and urge them to vote YES on Amendment 26 on Tuesday. Forward them a link to my blog. Share this post on your Facebook or Twitter. Please help me get the word out. We can end abortion in this country. Amendment 26 is a great start to accomplishing that goal. Thank you for educating yourself on this most important issue. I will leave you with a video of an OBGYN in Mississippi who supports Amendment 26.

http://www.youtube.com/user/YesOn26dotNet#p/u/2/fYGSm92aHE4

God bless,

Mike

Rick Santorum: A Family Man

2011-10-28T13:59:00.001-04:00

Check out this powerful video.

Division Among Christians

2011-10-28T13:20:00.000-04:00

Recently a friend of mine who video blogs at The Divine Science conducted aninterview with a Baptist pastor of a small Christian church. The topic centered on the division ofChristians specifically over the issue of the “Occupy Wall Street”protests. If you are interested inhearing the interview, you can find it HERE. I thought the interview brought up someinteresting points, but I would like to offer my perspective on the divisionamong Christians in general and then address the division of Christians onpolitical issues.

There is no question that there is division amongChristians. There are numerous reasonsfor this fact and there are many different forms of division. Unfortunately, there will always be divisionamong Christians because Christians are human beings. The differences between different Christiandenominations often center on theological beliefs. However, differences also exist betweenChristians who profess the same creed and these differences can be deep andvast. Although there will always be somedivision, I believe that we as Christians can and need to be much moreunited. In this post I hope to firstaddress some of the causes of division and also offer some possible solutions.

In order for Christians to effectively address this issue ofdivision in the Church, we must first acknowledge there is a problem, identifythe problem, understand the causes and roots of the problem, and then searchfor solutions. We know that there is aproblem with division among Christians. Thequestion is how did this division occur and why does it continue to occur? For several centuries there was only oneChristian Church; the Catholic Church. Undoubtedly, the Catholic Church has always been made up of manydifferent individuals who have unique perspectives and thoughts. However, there was one Christian theology andone Church structure in place to help unite the faithful. After the Protestant Reformation, the Churchsplit and new Churches were formed with new beliefs and new theologies. Then it split again, and again, andagain. Individuals who disagreed withany of the teachings of the Church simply created their own Church which betterreflected their own personal beliefs. Thishas led to the very dangerous idea of moral relativism which is pervasivetoday. Today, thousands of new Churchesare formed each year and in the United States alone there are over 200different Christian denominations. Withinthose 200+ different Christian denominations there are individuals who don’teven agree with some of the beliefs of the Church in which they are a member.

If we are to unite, we must have universal areas ofagreement. The following are issues in whichChristians cannot disagree. Let’s startat the very beginning. There is aGod. If you do not believe that there isa God, you are not a Christian. Secondly,God is the creator of all things. If youdo not believe this, you are not a Christian. If we wish to be called Christian, we must acknowledge that there is a natural moral law or truth. If you do not believe that Jesus was both God and man, and that he isour savior who died for our sins so that we might have eternal life, then youare not a Christian. If you do notbelieve that The Bible is the eternal word of God, you are not aChristian. I would also argue that ifyou do not believe in the doctrine of the Trinity, a description of God asFather, Son, and Holy Spirit, then you are not Christian. If you do not believe in Heaven and Hell,then you are not Christian. Thesebeliefs must form the foundation of all people to claim to be Christian. Without a foundation of beliefs, there is nopossibility of unity.

I could write so much more on the division of Christians,but in attempt to keep this post somewhat short let me jump to the issue ofdivision among Christians in politics. The reason that there is division among Christians in political issuessuch as the role of government and the best way to serve the poor is because Jesusnever endorsed specific political policy or form of government. Jesus was not a socialist as many liberal Christians would like you tobelieve. Jesus was also not a capitalistdespite what many conservative Christians would like you to believe. Jesus was not political. When asked specific political policy issues such astaxes, Jesus remained vague in his response, “give to Caesarwhat is Caesar's and to God what is God's.” It is perfectly acceptable forChristians to disagree on certain political issues so long as that the goal andintent remains the same; to better society. Certain issues which have become political such as abortion, which isclearly against moral law, there can be no disagreement among Christians. However, how best to serve the poor or whatis the best tax policy are areas in politics where Christians in goodconscience may disagree.

In regards to the recent protests againstWall Street and millionaires, how should Christians respond? Should Christians support these protests orreject them? I think that question istoo broad. Should Christian pastorsencourage their faithful to take to the streets and support the politicalobjectives of these protests? I don’tthink so, but I think Christians can support certain aspects of these protestswithout supporting the protests as a whole. I also think Christians can speak out against much of what is going onat these protests and the problems they are causing. In my opinion, these “Occupy Wall Street”protests are causing much more problems than they are good. I personally don’t support most of the politicalobjectives that these protests seek, but I don’t necessarily have a problemwith some of the intentions of the protests, if these are genuine intentions,such as a concern for the poor. Icertainly support the people’s right to protest so long as they are lawful andpeaceful which has not always been the case. I just happen to disagree with these protestors on the solutions they are proposing to the problemsfacing our country.

Your comments and thoughts are encouragedand welcome. Simply click on thecomment button below. Please note thatany comments that are profane or do not add to the discussion will be deleted.

God Bless,

Mike

RIP - Aunt Mary

2011-10-10T08:51:00.000-04:00

I have sad news to report today. Last night at 10:00 PM, I learned that my Aunt Mary, my Godmother, passed away. She had been fighting ovarian cancer for 4 years. The family knew that Mary's time on earth was coming to an end so this was not unexpected, but it is still a hard pill to swallow. It is never to say goodbye to a loved one. However, our faith keeps us from despair. We believe in the afterlife, and have hope that through the mercy of God we will be together one day with our departed loved ones in Heaven. I imagine that the loss of my Aunt Mary is especially hard on my Grandparents who have lost their oldest daughter and have spent the last several weeks with Aunt Mary as her health deteriorated. Please keep my family in your prayers, but also keep my Aunt Mary in your prayers as well. She was a wonderful woman, but like all of us she was not without faults; most notably her falling away from the Church. Please pray for my Aunt Mary's soul, that God have mercy on her. In memory of my Aunt Mary I am posting the latest picture I have of her. I am also going to include a link below and on my sidebar for the Colorado Ovarian Cancer Alliance. This is an organization that Aunt Mary joined once she found out she had ovarian cancer. If you feel so inclined, please visit their website and support this great cause.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul, and the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Colorado Ovarian Cancer Alliance

God bless,

Mike

Book Reflections: The Great Divorce

2011-10-03T16:28:00.000-04:00

C.S. Lewis wrote “The Great Divorce” in response to WilliamBlake’s book “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell.” This is a very quick read, but it is filled with spiritual contentworthy of some serious reflection. C.S.Lewis clearly states in his prologue that this is a story about the afterlifeand should not be read as if it is a factual account of the afterlife, but thatdoes not mean that there are not moral and theological truths in this book. I think all people have a curiosity about theafterlife. Christian denominations have different beliefsabout the afterlife especially regarding the idea of Purgatory, and C.S. Lewis acknowledgesthis in his story but does not let it become a divisive issue. Although C.S. Lewis himself was not Catholic,he seems to be very open to the Catholic teachings including the Catholicbelief in Purgatory. C.S. Lewis suggestsin this story that the Grey city is either Hell or Purgatory depending on whereone ends up. The great lesson in thisstory is that in order to reach Heaven, we must reject Hell and all those earthlyattachments that prevent us from completely loving God and reaching Heaven. C.S. Lewis is a master at stimulating thereaders’ imaginations and getting the reader to really reflect on Christianbeliefs. He does this through fictionalstory, but the spiritual lessons are not any less real. He tries to avoid addressing the specificdifferences between Christian denominations but focuses on their similaritiesand I believe this is reason for his widespread popularity. I highly recommend this book. It is a quick read, it is thought provoking, andit is interesting. Heaven or Hell? Which do you choose?

The Great Divorce

For more information on the Catholic Church’s teaching onHeaven, Hell, and Purgatory please read:

Article 12 in Catechism of the CatholicChurch

God bless,

Mike

Book Reflections: Sinner: The Catholic Guy's Funny, Feeble Attempts to Be a Faithful Catholic

2011-09-18T19:53:00.000-04:00

About the Author:

Lino Rulli is the host of the popular radio show, The Catholic Guy, which can be heard on The Catholic Channel on Sirius/Xm. If you have not had the pleasure of listening to Lino, do yourself a favor and tune in to his show. A word of warning, it's not the typical Catholic radio show. It's funny. No seriously, Lino is hilarious. He is going to talk about things you don't hear on other Catholic radio shows. He is going to be honest, sometimes awkward and embarrassingly honest. He can push the moral boundaries and occasionally may be borderline irreverent, but he speaks from the heart about issues that face most of us but most of us don't have the courage to speak about publicly. Lino has no shame. He airs out all his faults and failings for all the world to hear and often criticize. He is a pioneer in Catholic radio. I for one have great respect for this sinner named Lino Rulli.

About the Book:

Much like his radio show, Lino's book is a laugh from cover to cover, in a good way. Like his radio show, this book is not filled with spiritual quotes and words of wisdom. Lino prefers to evangelize in a more subtle way, by telling entertaining stories and being himself. His comedic personality comes out in his book just like it does on the radio. As Lino himself would probably say, this is not a Catholic book, it is not a Christian book, it's just a book. It's a wildly entertaining book that isn't a sermon, but you don't have to look too hard to find spiritual lessons in this book. Sometimes those lessons come from the mistakes Lino made. As the title of the book suggests, he knows that he is a sinner. However, he recognizes his sinfulness and frequently seeks forgiveness. He has three chapters that I can think of dedicated to the Sacrament of Confession. The refreshing thing about Lino is that from the very beginning he states that he believes in everything the Church teaches and believes (which is rare these days), he just struggles to live out his life as a Catholic. We all can relate to this struggle to be holy. All of us are sinners. What makes Lino such an effective voice in Catholic media is that he knows how to reach the younger people. The teen - 30s crowd. This is not to say older folks can't learn something from Lino, but Lino's blunt honesty and down to earth approach is very attractive to younger people. Sometimes I wish that Lino would address some of the more serious issues especially the pro-life issues of abortion and euthanasia, but I guess I can't really blame him. How in the world do you make comedy out of abortion? As a Respect Life Coordinator at my parish, I wish I could attract young people to the very important pro-life issues in a way that Lino attracts the youth. Maybe he can give me some pointers one day. There are too many great stories in this book to even begin to list. I recommend this book to Catholics, non-Catholic Christians, and non-believers. All people should be able to read and enjoy this book. Don't believe me? His book has been endorsed by the likes of Archbishop of New York Timothy Dolan, and the controversial radio personality Howard Stern. I give this book the highest rating I can think of; 5 noses! If you don't get that joke, start listening to Lino on the Catholic Channel. Oh and one more thing, read this book!

Sinner: The Catholic Guy's Funny, Feeble Attempts to Be a Faithful Catholic

The Catholic Channel

Book Reflections: The End and the Beginning: Pope John Paul II

2011-09-08T10:59:00.001-04:00

The End and the Beginning: Pope John Paul II -- The Victory of Freedom, the Last Years, the Legacy is George Weigel's follow up to the biography on Pope John Paul II he wrote over a decade ago; Witness to Hope. This book is over 500 pages, but that is half the size of Witness to Hope. I think that this was a good read, but if you have already read Witness to Hope there is not much new in this book. This book was written because new information had been obtained since the writing of Witness to Hope in regards to the Communists attempts to bring down Pope John Paul II. I found some of these stories very interesting. One thing I learned is that there is a lot more going on behind the scenes than most people realize. The Pope has a very difficult and huge responsibility. No matter how faithful a person is, someone will be quick to criticize any action or inaction even people within the Church. Pope John Paul II is undoubtedly one of the great people of the 20th Century. He inspired millions of people of all faiths. This book can get a little tedious at times, and if you want a more complete biography of Pope John Paul II I would recommend that you first read Witness to Hope. However, this book is a good supplement to Witness to Hope. Just make sure you set aside plenty of time. I wouldn't say it's a book you can't put down, but I would recommend to people who want to learn as much as they can about Pope John Paul II, and those who are interested in the inner workings of the Vatican.

God Bless,

Mike

Sign Petitions to Ban Human Cloning

2011-08-07T20:24:00.001-04:00

Please take a minute to sign the petition for a federal ban on human cloning. If you live in Georgia, I have also created a petition to the state of Georgia. Links are below.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/422/--if-gte-mso-9xml-oofficedocumentsettings-oallowpngoallowpng-oofficedocumentsettings-xmlendif----if/

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/423/--if-gte-mso-9xml-oofficedocumentsettings-oallowpngoallowpng-oofficedocumentsettings-xmlendif----if/

God Bless!

Book Reflections: Bleeder: A Mystery

2011-07-23T15:37:00.002-04:00

My dad once told me that he liked to read a novel in the summer. Typically I read biographies, inspirational books, historical books, political books, or religious books. I rarely find time to read novels. Well I decided that I was going to read a novel on my vacation this past week. It was a nice break from the routine. I think I'll have to read novels more often. I found it to be both fun and relaxing. I didn't have to think too hard although I liked to try to solve the mystery in my head; I just read the book for enjoyment. I chose this novel for a couple reasons. I enjoy a good mystery and it sounded like it had a lot of Catholic themes. This novel gives some insight on some Catholic teachings and traditions especially regarding saints, but it does so in the context of an interesting story and is not at all in your face preaching. If you are looking for a good mystery novel to get away from the normal routine, I encourage you to check this book out. I don't think you'll be disappointed... I must boast a little bit and say that I figured out at least half the mystery before it was fully revealed. I'm proud of myself! If you have a kindle and would like to read this book, send me a message and I will loan it to you for free.

Bleeder: A Mystery

God bless,

Mike

A Christian Perspective on the National Debt Crisis

2011-07-14T21:45:00.000-04:00

The huge news of the day in this country is the nationaldebt crisis. No sane person can denythat the national debt is a serious problem in this country. Our government is borrowing billions ofdollars that we are unable to pay. Itdoesn’t take a genius to figure out that if this trend continues it will leadto financial disaster. Financialdisaster will lead to numerous other problems including most likely a moraldecline of our society (some would say we are already experiencing this moraldecline). I would argue that thenational debt is as much a moral issue as it is a financial one. I believe that our country has finallyaccepted the fact that we have a problem. The question facing the country is what we need to do about reversingthis disturbing trend of increasing debt. The answer to solving the national debt isobvious but not easy. We have 3options. We can increase government revenue,cut government spending, or we can attempt to do both. Most conservativescontend that we do not have a revenue problem, but we have a spending problemand we need to make deep cuts in government spending. Most liberals may be willing to accept some limitedgovernment spending cuts especially toward business and people considered richor successful, but they contend that we must also raise government revenue(raise taxes). Both sides are hesitantto suggest specific spending cuts due to political repercussions. As soon as any spending cut proposals areoffered, the other side is quick to attack. So here we sit at a stalemate because both sides can’t agree on asolution. The result is the Americanpeople continue to suffer the consequences. I understand the difficulty in reachingan agreement, but I think I have some common sense thoughts and possibly even acouple solutions.

First of all, let’s take a look at why the increasingnational debt is considered a crisis. The national debt affects every citizen, but most especially the youngpeople because they are most likely going to be forced to foot the bill. This really irks me, because the people ingovernment who have created this crisis will not be held responsible for theirirresponsible actions. Perhaps taxpayersaren’t completely absent of blame either; we should have been much more engagedand proactive in monitoring the spending habits of our government. We have freedom of speech and the votingbooth which provided us opportunity to make our voices heard. We are at crisis level because we no longerhave the money to pay off the debt.

Just like the government, families must have to budget. Responsible families do not spend money thatthey do not have. As the father and headof my family, I am very conscience of our ability to pay off our debts. Only in the most dire and extreme situations(ex. medical expenses) would I consider using my credit card if I knew we wouldnot be able to pay the debt in full when we got the bill. I follow this principal not because I want tobe cheap, but because I want to be responsible and I know that if we start toaccrue debt we will be in far worse trouble down the road. We might get a short term benefit, but longterm the family will suffer. Sometimesthere are things I would like to buy or things I would like to do, but I knowthat I don’t have the financial means to do so and it would hurt not just mebut my entire family. The governmentneeds to look at the budget as families look at their budget. They should look at taxpayers as if they werefamily. If someone in your family givesyou a $20 and asks you to mow their yard, would you spend that money on candyand then come back and ask for $200 so that you can buy a lawn mower? This would be extremely insulting to the familymember who gave you that money expecting you to use it to mow their yard. Likewise, the government should not bespending taxpayer money on non-essential programs that taxpayers do not need orwant, and then ask them to pay more taxes so that we can pay off the debt. We pay taxes to the government so that theycan protect our freedoms and provide security. We are not authorizing the government a blank checkbook so that they cango on a spending spree and finance whatever special project they personally seefit. It is not their money. It is the taxpayer’s money and the taxpayershould decide how it is used. There maybe some well-intentioned programs that the government will have to cut. This does not mean that these programs in andof themselves are bad, but we cannot afford to pay for all of the programs thegovernment supports. Not only that, buthow many of these government run programs could be run more efficiently bylocal communities or small businesses? Thegovernment is not the answer to all our problems, and in fact it is often thegovernment that creates many of our problems.

We need some leaders; real leaders who are not afraid to dothe right thing regardless of the political consequences. Each side has their ideal solution, but thereality is that compromise on both sides will be necessary to reach anagreement. What do I think we need to doto solve this national debt crisis?

1. We need to pass a Balanced Budget Amendment.

a. Those who oppose a balanced budget say it wouldbe irresponsible. I say that it isirresponsible to not have a structure in place to slow and eventually pay offthe debt. Those opposed are alsoconcerned what a Balanced Budget Amendment would mean for programs that are notset from year to year such as unemployment benefits especially in a badeconomy. I say include rainy day fundsin the budget to address these concerns. The government does not HAVE to spend every penny they receive.

2. Distinguish between essential and non-essentialgovernment programs.

a. This is probably the most difficult step toagree upon, but I think there are some criteria that can be used to help usdistinguish what is essential. Mostimportant is the security of the citizens and the protection of our God givenfreedoms. Also essential is education ofour children and certain infrastructure projects. There can be some debate about many of theother government programs, but we must prioritize where we spend money.

3. Analyze the efficiency of all government fundedprograms starting with non-essential programs.

a. The government might be well intentioned withsome of the programs they fund, but some of these programs may not beefficiently run or mismanaged.

4. Make fair but significant cuts in governmentspending after careful review of all programs.

a. We will not be able to tax our way out of thisdebt. We will have to make some toughdecisions, but we absolutely must make some spending cuts if we are going to haveany chance of getting the debt under control.

5. Review and reform tax laws to address anyloop-holes or inconsistencies.

a. Some consideration should be given toeliminating some tax credits if it is determined the elimination of thesecredits would have minimal impact on the economy. I would think things such as mortgagedeductions on multiple homes would be an example of a credit that could belooked at as a possible elimination.

So those are my proposals. It seems like common sense to me. Don’t spend what you don’t have. Onething I know for sure is that doing nothing is not an option. My prayer is that the two sides can cometogether on this important issue and make some positive changes. It is immoral to leave this huge financialburden for our children. So what do youthink? Do you agree with me or do youhave some other ideas? Leave a commentwith your thoughts.

Book Reflections: Rediscover Catholicism: A Spiritual Guide to Living With Passion & Purpose

2011-07-08T20:27:00.003-04:00

I picked up this book because they were passing out free copies at church. How could I pass that up? I had heard Matthew Kelly talk because I got one of his cd's from Lighthouse Catholic Media so I knew he was an inspirational speaker. I have to say that the book was a little different than I expected. I thought that the book would be written more for fallen away Catholics because the idea of having a free copy at church during Easter and Christmas was to reach out to those Catholics who only go to mass once or twice a year. I think this is an excellent idea and I appaud Matthew Kelly's desire to bring back fallen away Catholics and to reinspire practicing Catholics. As I read the book however, I found that this book was talking to me, a practicing Catholic, directly and maybe even more so than to fallen away Catholics. I found myself upset a few times while reading this book because I felt that he was challenging me personally. Maybe this is a sign that I have some work to do in my spiritual life. Not maybe, certainly. I can be a much better Catholic. I can be a much better person. This book is not just for fallen away Catholics and I would say that it is not just for Catholics, but I think any person of good will can find some valuable lessons from this book. Basically Matthew Kelly talks about the state of Catholicism through his eyes and based on his experiences. Some of his analogies may not apply to you personally, but the ideas he presents I believe are universal. In this book Matthew Kelly tries to convey the great beauty and importance of Catholicism and I believe he does a very good job. He stresses the need for great saints to rise up in the Church to combat a society that seems to be moving further away from Christian ideals. This book will challenge you to become a better Catholic and a better person. We can accept the challenge and work towards becoming what Kelly calls the "best version of ourselves," or we can chose to walk through life just doing enough to ease our conscience. Take up the challenge. Be the best version of yourself. Learn the beauty of living an authentic Christian life. Rediscover the greatness and wonder of Catholicism. Read this book. You will be a better person for it.

God bless!

Rediscover Catholicism: A Spiritual Guide to Living With Passion & Purpose

One Quick Minute - The Dilemma Movie Review

2011-06-20T18:14:00.001-04:00

One Quick Minute - The Dilemma Movie Review

One Quick Minute - Father's Day

2011-06-19T10:19:00.003-04:00

One Quick Minute - Father's Day

First and foremost we give glory and honor to God the Father, our creator and maker of all good things. We should praise him always, but especially on Father's day!

One Quick Minute - Weinergate

2011-06-18T20:38:00.002-04:00

One Quick Minute - 6/18/11

Book Reflections: Miracles

2011-05-10T22:25:00.002-04:00

Do you believe in miracles? Who can forget the famous line from sports broadcaster Al Michaels after the U.S. hockey team's stunning upset of Russia in the 1980 Olympic games? I just finished reading, "Miracles," by C.S. Lewis. I can honestly say that I never spent much time thinking about the idea of miracles. I have used the word before, but I never really stopped to think about what it really means to be a miracle. I think people often say events or things are miracles without really understanding the deeper meaning of what they are implying with that statement. People tend to fall into one of two camps, one group of people believes in miracles and the other group does not believe in miracles. Of those two groups, people can be further divided. Some who believe in miracles believe that most everything is a miracle and some others may believe in miracles but believe them to be very rare occurances. C.S. Lewis takes an in depth look at the idea of miracles and defends his belief in miracles in very much the same way that he defended his belief in Christianity in his book Mere Christianity; by first addressing all of the common arguements against the idea of miracles. This method of defending a point of view after addressing all the major arguements against it proves to be very effective.

Before a person can properly answer the question of whether or not they believe in miracles, they must first fully understand the definition of a miracle. The dictionary definition of a miracle is an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause. Now that we know the definition of a miracle, C.S. Lewis starts at the most basic levels of this understanding and builds his case for miracles. He discusses the story of creation, naturalism, rationalism, and much more. He discusses the Christian belief in the most famous and historical miracles, namely the miracle of God becoming man. He often starts with looking at these questions from the perspective of an atheist or an unbeliever. He makes a compelling argument for why Christians believe in God and why Christians believe in a personal God who made everything and who loves us beyond all compare. He makes a case for God's Divine intervention in extraordinary cases which can not be explained by human rationale. To believe in miracles means that you believe in God, you believe in a natural order of nature (because if there was no ordinary there can be no extraordinary), you believe that God is the creator of nature and that nature is not God, and you believe that God has the power to do things beyond our comprehension or understanding. We personally may never witness a miracle or we may be witness to a miracle without even knowing it or we may believe some event to be a miracle only to later discover that there is a rational explanation for the event. However, if we believe in God and we believe that God is the maker of all things, how can we not believe in miracles and the idea of something extraordinary and supernatural? If God created nature, does he not have the power over nature? If God created us and he gave us the gift of reason, is he not capable of doing things beyond our reason? I say God is capable of anything.

Your thoughts are welcome. Feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts on miracles. Do you believe in miracles? Why or why not? I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

2011 Walk for Life: Embrace Destiny

2011-04-10T16:47:00.000-04:00

I will be participating in a Walk For Life event on Saturday, April 30, 2011. This walk is to help raise money for a pregnancy center in Woodstock, GA named The Hope Center, which is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. They are not funded by the government so all of their funds come from charitable giving or private funds. You can learn more about The Hope Center at their website. If you are interested in sponsoring me, I have set up a page where you can make an easy online donation by simply clicking on the donation button and filling out your payment information.
Sponsor Me Here

Last year I raised $205. I am trying to raise $250 this year. Please help me reach my goal.
Thank you and God bless!

Media Coverage: 40 Days for Life

2011-04-07T08:20:00.002-04:00

A Christian Perspective on Money: Generosity

2011-03-22T13:08:00.000-04:00

Money is a very difficult topic for me to talk about, but I feel obligated to talk about it. Money is a leading cause of friction in our society and often times the root of most serious conflicts. Money in and of itself is not bad, but it often leads us to make bad decisions and devalue the human person. We easily become attached to money and this can lead us on a very dangerous path.

When it comes to being generous with our gifts and more specifically about money, I am probably not the best example. Generosity is something that I personally struggle with and often times fail. You are probably a much more generous person than I am, and I hope to one day reach your level of generosity. I know that my lack of generosity stems from my own selfishness. According to biblical references we are called to tithe or give 10% of our earnings back to God. If you are anything like me you are probably thinking, 10%! How in the world can I possibly give 10% of my earnings? I have bills to pay and mouths to feed. I EARNED that money. Why must I now give it away? Before I answer these questions, let me start by defining money.

The dictionary definition of money is something generally accepted as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment. In our world, many essential goods and services require us to have money. In order to survive we must eat. In order to eat we must have food. In order to have food we must either grow food ourselves or purchase food from someone else who has food. In order to grow food ourselves we must have seeds, good soil, etc. We must have something to exchange in order to receive the food we need to live. This source of exchange is called money. Typically money has been in the form of paper or coins, but more frequently now money is a card or a bank account number.

In our world today, the value of a person in the eyes of many is based primarily on their material wealth or how much money they possess. You might be thinking well that’s a terrible thing to value a person based solely on their wealth, but believe it or not I think we are all guilty of this perception at least at some point in our lives. How often do we make decisions based on how it will benefit us personally? I would say that in most all cases we do whatever we believe will benefit us the most. This is not always a bad thing. For instance, if I believe that being closer to God is in my best interest and will benefit me the most, I will be attending mass frequently, praying fervently, and constantly asking God for forgiveness and for strength. These are good things. However, many times we believe that material wealth is in our best interest and although material wealth is not a sin in and of itself, a constant desire for more material wealth will often lead us down the wrong path.

When I was in college I worked as a valet at a horse track to help me pay for school and living expenses. It was a good job. I enjoyed working with my friends and I made pretty good money for a college kid. I would often observe the cars that chose to have valet service, and I found that my friends and I would often make judgments on the kind of tipper a person would be based on the vehicle they drove. I realize that I probably shouldn’t judge a person in this way, but I think that is the reality of how most of us think. I was doing what I said we must not do, valuing the person I was serving based on the amount of tip I expected them to give. Shame on me. So when we saw an old beat up car, my friends and I would frequently make the conclusion that this person was not wealthy and that they would not give a large tip. However, when someone pulled up in a nice car, all of us wanted to take care of this customer because we assumed that this person was wealthy and would give a generous tip. Again, shame on me. Do you know what is ironic? I found that often times the people who drove up in really nice cars often gave the same tip as the person in the old beat up car, and sometimes they didn’t give a tip at all! What did I think about this? Well to put it mildly, I didn’t think too highly of that person. I expected monetary exchange and I received little or nothing? I thought these people to be mighty selfish, and yet I failed to examine my own conscience and see how I was being just as selfish if not more so than these people. I also realized that the amount of money a person has does not equate to their level of generosity. Logic would suggest that the wealthy person would be more generous, but this is often not the case.

Most of us understand what money is and why it is necessary. However, very few of us see money for what it truly is: a gift. When I was a valet, I felt I earned a tip for my service. The tip was not a gift to me, it was my wage. I struggle with the idea of money being a gift, and perhaps you do too. However, if we accept that God made all things, how can we not accept that money is a gift? Our very existence is a gift from God, and by the very fact that He created all things, all good things are gifts from God. An argument may be made that those who work harder or whose skills are in higher demand deserve a higher salary than those less educated, less skilled, or have a poor work ethic. While each individual may not have the same economic impact, no individual is more or less valuable than another in God’s eyes. Monetary wealth is not a right. Our economic value is subjective and often at the discretion of our employer. At any time, our economic value to society could change. Our financial situation now may be far different than our financial situation 10 years from now. Our knowledge and skills may be valued much differently by different individuals or in different parts of the world or in different time periods. What we earn and what we are worth, in an economic sense, is subjective. Therefore, I believe that it is in our best interest to work hard and do the best job in whatever stage of life we are in and we will be rewarded for our good work. Instead of insisting that our salary is a reflection of what we deserve or earn or our value, perhaps we should see it as a blessing and a gift.

We usually like to claim all our possessions, money included. Most of us consider the money we receive as our possession that we may use as we see fit. However, when we see money as another gift from God, we are likely to be more open to generosity. I also believe that if we love God, we will be generous. God asks very little of us, and yet we are frequently so reluctant to give anything back to God. God is the source of all good things, and yet we rarely thank him for all that he has given to us. We might thank Him for life altering gifts, but we rarely thank him for the common gifts such as the sunshine or a smile from a baby. I don’t think that God is concerned with a mathematical equation to decipher what exactly is 10% of our earnings. I also don’t think that God requires that all 10% be given directly to the church. In the diocese of Atlanta, we are encouraged to give 5% to our parish, 1% to the archdiocese annual appeal, and 4% to charities of our choice. We should be sure to monitor the charities we give to and make sure that their mission is not contrary to essential church teachings and that they use the money wisely, but we should always give back to God willingly and cheerfully. I don’t know about you, but this is very difficult for me. I mean, I will give out of a sense of responsibility but I really am not always happy when writing that check. Think of all the other things I could do with that money!

Very few people I know like talking about our responsibility to be generous, especially our responsibility to give 10% of our earnings back to God through gifts to church or charities. In reality, most people fail to live up to this responsibility. I myself probably only give around 5% (the average Catholic gives 1.5%). I am a very frugal person and I am a very detailed person. I know my family expenses and I know our income. I do the math and I have a hard time calculating in my head how I can give 10% to church and charities and still be able to pay off all our monthly expenses. However, every time our family appears to be headed toward a financial crisis, we are blessed with financial gifts sometimes completely unexpectedly. While we must be responsible with our money and make sure that we take care of our family needs, we must also be very generous. Everything we have is a gift from God. When we love God and our neighbor, we will be generous. When we are generous, God will reward us.

God bless,

40 Days for Life Media Coverage in Lansing, MI

2011-03-16T21:33:00.000-04:00

Couple to Couple League

2011-03-13T10:14:00.000-04:00

The Catholicism Project

2011-03-10T12:21:00.000-05:00

A Blurry Line: Assisted Suicide or Murder?

2011-03-06T20:56:00.000-05:00

Book Reflections: The Screwtape Letters

2011-03-04T11:33:00.001-05:00

C.S. Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters" is a very short book, but it is one that I would recommend a person read very carefully and slowly. This is not to say that it is difficult to read, but there is so much knowledge and wisdom that can be gained from this book, and I believe it is a book that could be read several times and provide plenty of new reflection topics. The book is written from the perspective of a senior demon, a master tempter, who is training a new, young demon. It is rare that we see an author attempt to enter the mind of the devil or other demons, and as C.S. Lewis stated in a prologue that although it seemed very easy to write, it was not an experience he at all enjoyed. However, I contend that you will look at life and situations in life differently when you consider the perspective of demons or the devil. It is important to remember that there are spiritual forces at work in our lives both good and evil. The devil is very real and he desires to keep us away from God at all times, but most especially at the time of our death. This can be accomplished in numerous ways and it may not always be clear or evident to us that we are straying away from God. It is the gradual drifting away from God that is the most dangerous. It is important for us to frequently examine our conscience and seek God's forgiveness and love through the Church's Sacraments. We can and should ask for forgiveness to God directly through prayer in addition to the Sacraments, but we should always remember that our minds can easily deceive us, and our prayers for forgiveness can easily sound hollow if we don't seek to change our sinful ways and seek a real change in our lifestyle. Our time here on earth is short when you consider eternity; so let us never forget our ultimate goal to be with God forever in Heaven. I hope you get a chance to read this short book and take time to really reflect on each chapter and how it might relate to you in your life. This is an absolute must read for every Christian person who seeks to grow in knowledge and holiness. Trust me, this book is worth your time invested.

The Screwtape Letters

God bless!

Abby Johnson Exposes Planned Parenthood on EWTN's The World Over

2011-02-28T20:12:00.000-05:00

Below is a video I edited from Raymond Arroyo's interview with Abby Johnson on last week's The World Over program on EWTN. If you want to watch the interview in it's entirety, please visit EWTN's website HERE.

Book Reflections: Sometimes God Has a Kid's Face

2011-02-27T16:08:00.003-05:00

I recently received "Sometimes God Has a Kid's Face" in the mail. It is a very short book written by Sister Mary Rose McGeady, who was the president of Covenant House, a Manhattan based home for runaway teens, from 1990 - 2003. The purpose of the short book is certainly in hopes of raising awareness and support for the Covenant House, but Sister Mary Rose McGeady does not use an in your face approach to seeking support of the Covenant House. Instead she tells the real life stories of kids that she has met at the Covenant House. These stories will touch your heart and probably shock you at how serious and widespread the problem of homeless kids is in our country. Problems almost always start at home, where the family is broken. I encourage you to read this short book, if nothing else to educate yourself on the very real problem of homeless kids in our nation. HERE is a link to the Covenant House website. Please keep all these children and the good work that the people at the Covenant House do in your prayers. God bless!

Lila Rose on Glen Beck Show

2011-02-19T08:58:00.000-05:00

Support the Pence Amendment

2011-02-18T08:55:00.000-05:00

Vote will take place today. Contact your representative and urge them to support the Pence Amendement and then pray that this amendment will pass.

God bless!

LDI Letter Writing Campaign: Diane Von Furstenberg

2011-02-15T22:00:00.003-05:00

Note:

Diane Von Furstenberg is listed on LDI’s boycott list as of February 15, 2011 for their support of Planned Parenthood. I cannot guarantee that Diane Von Furstenberg will be listed on LDI’s boycott list at the time you read this blog post. Please visit Life Decisions International for confirmation that the company is still on the boycott list.

About Diane Von Furstenberg:

Diane Von Furstenberg is a fashion design company headquartered in New York City. Diane Von Furstenberg, the CEO, is a vocal member of her local community and is a firm believer of the infinite power of women. She sits on the board of Vital Voices, a women’s leadership organization. I encourage you to join me in writing Diane Von Furstenberg, and voice your displeasure at her support for Planned Parenthood. In your letter, be brief and respectful but also direct. Explain why you are opposed to Planned Parenthood, especially be sure to mention how Planned Parenthood does not empower women, and let Ms. Furstenberg know that you will not be supporting her company in any way unless they are removed from LDI’s boycott list. Also let her know that you will be sharing this information to all your family and friends. Together we may be able to make a difference. Below is the contact information for Diane Von Furstenberg.

Contact Info:

Ms. Diane Von Furstenberg
Chief Executive Officer
Diane Von Furstenberg
440 W. 14th Street
New York, NY 10014

Vigil for Victims

2011-02-13T22:26:00.000-05:00

My Chance - Music Video

2011-02-11T09:46:00.001-05:00

LDI Letter Writing Campaign: Ignite Restaurant Group, Inc.

2011-02-08T08:44:00.000-05:00

Note:

Ignite Restaurant Group, Inc. is listed on LDI’s boycott list as of February 8, 2011 for their support of Planned Parenthood. I cannot guarantee that Ignite Restaurant Group, Inc. will be listed on LDI’s boycott list at the time you read this blog post. Please visit Life Decisions International for confirmation that the company is still on the boycott list.

About Ignite Restaurant Group, Inc.:
The Ignite Restaurant Group, Inc. headquarters is located in Houston, TX. They operate the popular seafood restaurant Joe’s Crab Shack as well as Brick House Tavern & Tap. The company is backed by private equity group J.H. Whitney Capital Partners. I encourage you to join me in writing to the CEO of Ignite Restaurant Group, Inc. and voice your displeasure at their support for Planned Parenthood. In your letter, be brief and respectful but also direct. Explain why you are opposed to Planned Parenthood and let Mr. Blanchette know that you will not be supporting their restaurants until they have been removed from LDI’s boycott list. Also let them know that you will be sharing this information to all your family and friends. Together we may be able to make a difference. Below is the contact information for the CEO of Ignite Restaurant Groups, Inc.
Contact Info:

Mr. Ray Blanchette
Chief Executive Officer
Ignite Restaurant Group, Inc.
9900 Westpark Drive, Suite 300
Houston, TX 77063

Is it My Lucky Day?

2011-02-01T12:21:00.000-05:00

Today I found a $10 bill on the ground at Target. I looked around and saw nobody nearby. I picked up the $10 bill and found the nearest cashier and told her I found the money. She shrugged and said "keep it." So I did. I plan to give the money to a charity or church, but did I do the right thing? What would you have done?

Obama Celebrates Abortion on 38th Anniversary of Roe vs. Wade

2011-01-30T22:42:00.000-05:00

On a day when hundreds of thousands of pro-life men, women, and children marched in Washington and across the nation in protest of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion in the United States, President Obama issued the following statement.

President Obama’s statement:

“Today marks the 38th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that protects women’s health and reproductive freedom, and affirms a fundamental principle: that government should not intrude on private family matters.

I am committed to protecting this constitutional right. I also remain committed to policies, initiatives, and programs that help prevent unintended pregnancies, support pregnant women and mothers, encourage healthy relationships, and promote adoption.

And on this anniversary, I hope that we will recommit ourselves more broadly to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights, the same freedoms, and the same opportunities as our sons to fulfill their dreams.”

President Obama continues to provide proof that he is the most pro-abortion president in this country’s history. Let’s take a closer look at what exactly it is that he said.

“Today marks the 38th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that protects women’s health”

How does abortion protect women’s health? Pregnancy is not a disease. In fact, abortion carries far more health risks for the mother than carrying out the pregnancy. Physical effects of abortion could include any of the following: bowel injury, hemorrhaging, infection, laceration of the cervix, perforation of the uterus, severe and rapid bleeding, and more. This does not even mention the emotional side effects such as post-abortion syndrome or the long term side effects such as an increased risk of breast cancer, future miscarriages, etc.

“And reproductive freedom”

What is reproductive freedom? Is it the freedom to reproduce or the freedom from reproducing? Judging from the context of the President’s comment, I’m guessing he is talking about a freedom from reproducing, but can you really call killing your own child freedom? Children are not a burden as President Obama once famously stated, but they are a blessing from God. No woman, and no man for that matter should have the right to kill their child. Women have the freedom to choose a chaste lifestyle and in so doing will avoid pregnancy, but once the woman has achieved conception there is no freedom from reproducing. The intentional choice to kill a child in the womb is not freedom, but slavery to ignorance or selfishness.

“and affirms a fundamental principle: that government should not intrude on private family matters.”

I find this phrase very ironic coming from a president that seems to constantly push for bigger government intervention in our lives. The hypocrisy of his statement is clear and evident even in the very matter in which he speaks. He says that abortion is a private family matter, yet he pushes for more lenient abortion laws which allow an underage girl to have an abortion without a parent’s knowledge or consent. Many times only the woman and the abortionist know about the abortion. President Obama seems to have no problem forcing all Americans to purchase health insurance. Is this not also a private family matter? President Obama has no problem requiring all public schools institute “comprehensive” sex education to children as young as 6. I thought the primary educators of children are their parents. So much for not intruding on private family matters.

“I am committed to protecting this constitutional right.”

Is the killing of an unborn child really a constitutional right or is this a misinterpretation of the constitution? This comment reveals that not only does President Obama indifferent about abortion, he is actively promoting abortion.

“I also remain committed to policies, initiatives, and programs that help prevent unintended pregnancies, support pregnant women and mothers, encourage healthy relationships, and promote adoption.”

The problem is that the policies, initiatives and programs that President Obama supports in reality do the exact opposite of his supposed goals. President Obama is a proud supporter of Planned Parenthood, the deadly organization that is the leading abortion provider in our nation. They also echo these same sentiments all the while making millions of dollars through their abortion business. The push for a contraceptive culture is certainly behind his plan for a reduction in unwanted pregnancies, but in reality it is the very contraceptive minded culture that has created and expanded the notion of unwanted pregnancy.

“And on this anniversary, I hope that we will recommit ourselves more broadly to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights, the same freedoms, and the same opportunities as our sons to fulfill their dreams.”

The conception and delivery of a child does not inhibit the hopes and dreams of a woman. Sarah Palin is a perfect example of a pro-life woman who has achieved great public success. In fact, the birth of a child is the very definition of hope. Ask any woman who has tried unsuccessfully to achieve pregnancy how they feel about the opportunity to have a baby. Once again, President Obama fails to see or understand the great blessing of children. May God have mercy on our wounded nation. I pray that one day abortion will be an unthinkable decision and that the Roe vs. Wade decision will be overturned. Continue the fight for life. We will win because we have God and the truth on our side.

God bless!

Book Reflections: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

2011-01-23T22:38:00.005-05:00

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is the first book that I read on my new Amazon Kindle eBook reader. I was filtering through the most popular free books from Amazon and this one caught my eye, because I enjoy reading history, especially American history, and I found that I really didn’t know much about Benjamin Franklin, who is widely considered one of the great founders of our nation. Because this book is an autobiography, the language is slightly different than that which we are used to today, but I was not too distracted by the occasional old and expired phrases. You can read about history or you can read history, and when reading this book I felt that I was reading history. I got to know Benjamin Franklin on a personal level, something that history books could never accomplish. Of course most of us know Benjamin Franklin for his experiments with electricity, but the man accomplished so much more than just that. He was instrumental in developing the modern day library, he published the very popular “Poor Richard’s Almanac,” he founded the Union Fire Company and a hospital, he was a central figure in American politics, and so much more. You will read about many of these things in his own words, but I am more interested in the faith and religious life of Benjamin Franklin. It is quick to see that even such a successful and wise man such as Benjamin Franklin is not without his faults and failings especially when it comes to religious beliefs or lack thereof. Below are some quotes that I highlighted as I was reading that I found to be of particular interest.

Quotes from Benjamin Franklin in his Autobiography:

“And now I speak of thanking God, I desire with all humility to acknowledge that I owe the mentioned happiness of my past life to His kind providence, which lead me to the means I used and gave them success. My belief of this induces me to hope, though I must not presume, that the same goodness will still be exercised toward me, in continuing that happiness, or enabling me to bear a fatal reverse, which I may experience as others have done: the complexion of my future fortune being known to Him only in whose power it is to bless to us even our afflictions.”

“I was put to the grammar-school at eight years of age, my father intending to devote me, as the tithe of his sons, to the service of the Church.”

“If you wish information and improvement from the knowledge of others, and yet at the same time express yourself as firmly fix'd in your present opinions, modest, sensible men, who do not love disputation, will probably leave you undisturbed in the possession of your error.”

“My indiscrete disputations about religion began to make me pointed at with horror by good people as an infidel or atheist.”

“So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do.”

“I grew fond of her company, and, being at that time under no religious restraint, and presuming upon my importance to her, I attempted familiarities (another erratum) which she repuls'd with a proper resentment”

“We never worked on Saturday, that being Keimer's Sabbath, so I had two days for reading.”

“For the arguments of the Deists, which were quoted to be refuted, appeared to me much stronger than the refutations; in short, I soon became a thorough Deist.”

“I had been religiously educated as a Presbyterian; and tho' some of the dogmas of that persuasion, such as the eternal decrees of God, election, reprobation, etc., appeared to me unintelligible, others doubtful, and I early absented myself from the public assemblies of the sect, Sunday being my studying day, I never was without some religious principles. I never doubted, for instance, the existence of the Deity; that he made the world, and govern'd it by his Providence; that the most acceptable service of God was the doing good to man; that our souls are immortal; and that all crime will be punished, and virtue rewarded, either here or hereafter.”

“These I esteem'd the essentials of every religion; and, being to be found in all the religions we had in our country, I respected them all, tho' with different degrees of respect, as I found them more or less mix'd with other articles, which, without any tendency to inspire, promote, or confirm morality, serv'd principally to divide us, and make us unfriendly to one another. This respect to all, with an opinion that the worst had some good effects, induc'd me to avoid all discourse that might tend to lessen the good opinion another might have of his own religion; and as our province increas'd in people, and new places of worship were continually wanted, and generally erected by voluntary contributions, my mite for such purpose, whatever might be the sect, was never refused. Tho' I seldom attended any public worship, I had still an opinion of its propriety, and of its utility when rightly conducted, and I regularly paid my annual subscription for the support of the only Presbyterian minister or meeting we had in Philadelphia.”

My Reflections

It is unquestionable that Benjamin Franklin was a spiritual man although he certainly wasn’t the most religious. He spoke frequently about God and religion and their place in society. He grew up in a very religious Protestant family. When he was 8 years old, his father put him in grammar school with the idea that he would become a preacher. Although he had little formal education, Ben Franklin always had a desire to learn new things. His dedication to learning is admirable. However, in the spirit of learning, Ben Franklin questioned many things including his religion. He reasoned that in his mind he was better served to not attend religious worship but rather use that time to study. In a sense, learning and reason became his religion.

Ben Franklin became a Deist, which is belief in God only based on nature and reason, because he found that he more often than not agreed with their reason on most issues. Ben Franklin fell into the same trap that so many people fall into today. By most accounts, he tried to live a virtuous life although he certainly had his struggles. His concern was primarily to avoid confrontation with anyone when it came to religion or religious beliefs and that it was best to simply get along with people regardless of their religious beliefs. He followed the mantra ‘live and let live,’ but in placing all his trust in reason he often tried to justify unreasonable behavior. Take his following quote for instance: “So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do.”

The problem with his form of moral relativism is that it denies an absolute truth. Without absolute truth, any individual can justify nearly any action and consider it good and moral. As Christians, we know and understand that there is absolute truth and that it is found in Jesus Christ and his church. Many of these absolute truths do not even require a religious belief, but they are written on each of our hearts. Not every action is a good or moral action. There is such a thing as right and wrong. Denial of truth will not lead to utopia, but a society that has no rules or moral backbone. It will lead to anarchy. It is not charitable to simply allow people to live in serious sin. As St. Paul wrote and I am paraphrasing, if the sin is not deadly we may be better served to not bring attention to it but to pray for that person. However, if the sin is deadly we have a responsibility to bring it to the attention of the person for their own well being. Our concern should not be solely focused on the effect it has on this world, but also the eternal effect our actions or in actions have on our souls and the souls of others. Ben Franklin said that he believed in life after death, but he didn’t allow that belief to guide his beliefs or decisions. He placed his trust in his own reason to guide his beliefs and decisions and he refuted any religious dogma that might possibly cause division. Unfortunately, the truth will often cause division. This must not prevent us from proclaiming the truth. In fact, it should inspire us to proclaim the truth all the louder so long as we proclaim it with charity and love.

A perfect example of the problem of the religion of reason and how it can be unreasonable is seen in Ben Franklin’s following quote: “I grew fond of her company, and, being at that time under no religious restraint, and presuming upon my importance to her, I attempted familiarities (another erratum) which she repuls'd with a proper resentment.” Ben Franklin had a son out of wedlock and attempted to have relations with a married woman, but his reasoning did not see these acts as morally wrong. Instead, he saw them as religious restraints which did not fit in with his desired lifestyle. Of course when his advancement on the woman backfired on him, he was regretful but this regret was more due to the end result than the action itself.

I very much enjoyed reading The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. I learned much more about the man and now understand a little bit better about the mindset of the people at that time in history. I have learned that Ben Franklin’s curiosity led him to some of the most amazing discoveries, but it also led him to stray away from a belief in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. He developed his own personal religion based on reason and a list of virtues. These virtues if carried out are good in and of themselves, but a good deed lacks it’s effect if the intent is not also for the right reasons. The American citizen and the human race have benefited from many of Benjamin Franklin’s discoveries. He was also critical in securing our country’s independence and although he himself was a deist, he understood the importance of religion and saw the good effects religion had on people. He along with our other founders place the highest importance on every person’s right to freedom of religion and for that I am very grateful. Benjamin Franklin may not have been a perfect example of how to live a Christian life, but he was undoubtedly a great American. If you have any interest in American history or the insights and life of one of the countries founders, I highly recommend this book.

Book Reading - Abby Johnson's Best Seller "Unplanned"

2011-01-18T08:40:00.000-05:00

Also, the SMA Respect Life Committee is planning a reading of Abby Johnson's new best selling book, "Unplanned". Abby Johnson is a former Planned Parenthood director who quit her job in 2009 after viewing an abortion, and she has now became a pro life advocate. She has a unique perspective considering that she has been on both sides of the fence on the abortion issue. We plan to begin reading the book next week and discuss it on the new blog site: http://www.smarespectlife.blogspot.com/

If you would like to join in the book reading and follow along with our discussion, you can purchase Unplanned at all major bookstores (assuming it is not sold out because there has been an amazing response to this book). I will make a post about each chapter and then I would like for you all to make comments with your thoughts on my post or voice your thoughts on the chapter discussed. I have set up the site so that you may sign in to comment or you may comment anonymously if you prefer. I hope you all will be able to get a copy of the book and participate in our discussion.

New Respect Life Committee Blog

2011-01-16T19:36:00.000-05:00

I have created a blog website for our Respect Life Committee at St. Michael the Archangel. Below is a link to the site and the welcome video I posted. Check it out. God bless!

Gallop Poll Results: Moral Acceptablility

2011-01-09T20:41:00.000-05:00

Below are the poll results from a Gallop Poll Survey from May 3-6 2010. As you can see, the country is divded on several of the most important social issues of our day. My initial impression when looking at the results was one of great disappointment. How could so many people be on the wrong side of these moral issues? However, I am trying to look at the positive side of things more often, and there are some trends that are encouraging. My blog is in existence primarily to give strength to faithful Christians to live out their lives as faithful witnesses to Jesus Christ, but to also reach out to those who don't share my Christian and moral beliefs. Listen to my podcast, where I talk briefly about the results you see below. God bless!

Sports Talk Radio Show 1-1-11 Unsportsmanlike Conduct Penalties

2011-01-01T14:40:00.000-05:00

My New Year's Resolutions

2010-12-31T13:39:00.001-05:00

I have learned from prior years that when making New Year's resolutions or when deciding on a Lenten sacrifice, we should choose something meaningful but not try to take on too much. I can think of about 20 things that I would like to improve about myself, but I know that if I try to fix all 20 at once I likely won't fix anything. Therefore, below is my list of resolutions for the New Year that I fully hope and plan to follow through with.

Improve my prayer life - Because this is not a real quantifiable resolution, I will explain how I hope to improve my prayer life. I cannot promise that I will be able to accomplish each of these, but I'll try.

Daily prayer from Magnificat - I have prayed using the Magnifcat occasionally and even at times frequently, but I have failed to pray morning and night prayers daily consistently.
Attend Eucharistic Adoration at least once a week for 30 minutes or more.
Do some form of spiritual reading every day in addition to daily prayers - ex. Bible Study
Attend a weekday mass once a week

Blog Post once a week - Preferrably every Sunday. Also I will try to do more podcasts and may try to incorporate this new form of communication in the Respect Life Committee.
Reduce the amount of time spent surfing the internet or watching tv. Increase time with family, helping others, and reading.

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and have a very Happy New Year. Reminder to Catholics that tomorrow is a Holy Day of obligation so make sure you attend mass either tonight or tomorrow morning. God bless!

Book Reflections: The Mentor Leader

2010-12-13T18:13:00.003-05:00

I recently finished reading Tony Dungy’s latest book, The Mentor Leader. I like reading books on leadership because I believe that they contain lessons that each one of us can apply in our own lives. Everyone is a leader in one form or another. The Mentor Leader contains many of the lessons I’ve read about and learned in other books on leadership, but it is unique because the focus of the book is centered entirely on a specific form of leadership; mentor leadership. Tony Dungy is a very public figure who has not shied away from acknowledging and emphasizing the importance faith plays in his life. It is no surprise then that faith plays a very important role in his book on mentor leadership.

Tony Dungy frequently quotes scripture passages from the Bible to relate today’s leadership practices to those same leadership qualities of Jesus. Tony Dungy, and I, believe that the greatest leader ever to live was Jesus Christ. Therefore, it only makes sense when talking about leadership to study and follow the greatest leader of all, Jesus Christ. So how did Jesus lead?

Jesus was the perfect mentor leader. Before I go any further, let us define mentor leadership according to Tony Dungy. Mentor leaders put people first, strive for significance in life, and keep an eternal perspective. The effective mentor leader builds real and meaningful relationships with the goal of bringing out qualities in others that help them become their best. The mentor leader is not concerned about whether or not they receive credit for positive results. The mentor leader leads by service and appreciates the journey as much as the destination. Mentor leaders produce mentor leaders. When we think about how Jesus led his Apostles, it is clear that he was a mentor leader. His whole life was service; service to God and others. His life was of the utmost importance but he was always humble and let others recognize his significance for themselves. Jesus was always more concerned about the things that are eternal than the temporal. He built very close and strong relationships with his mother Mary and his Apostles. These Apostles later became the leaders of the Church. The Church is a constant reminder of Christ’s leadership and infinite wisdom. We are all called to imitate Him. If we want to become a great leader, we need only look at Jesus.

Tony Dungy presents many great principals and ideas on leadership that I will carry with me as I strive to become a better leader. In fact, his list of Seven ‘E’s of enhancing potential was on my mind when I was developing a mission statement for our Respect Life Committee at my Church. Some of the principals stated in The Mentor Leader are difficult to live by because they are counter to what comes natural to us. Tony Dungy’s success as a football coach is well known and everyone who knows him talks about his character. I do not question his character or his sincerity, but he has a slightly different perspective on a couple of things than me primarily because we have completely different life experiences. There is nothing wrong with this, but it is simply a fact that should be acknowledged. He makes some comparisons when trying to emphasize his points that I probably wouldn’t have used, and I think that he sometimes downplays the importance of achieving your ultimate goals and the effects of not achieving your goals on others. His definition of success may be slightly different than how I would define success, but we agree for the most part that you must not let someone else define success for you. There are several great principals and lessons that I have learned and will work to put to practice in my own life, and because of this I found this book to be a very worthwhile read. We may not always agree with everything that is written in a book, but so long as there is something that we can learn and put into practice we can become a better person for reading. I read for enjoyment, but I also read to learn and to ultimately become a better person. I think there are several things that you will take away from this book, and therefore I highly recommend Tony Dungy’s book, The Mentor Leader.

Book Review - A Gathering of Angels: Seeking Healing after an Infant’s Death

2010-11-10T21:16:00.006-05:00

I purchased A Gathering of Angels: Seeking Healing after an Infant’s Death for my wife shortly after we lost our baby via miscarriage. We found out that we lost our child when my wife went in for her 10 week appointment, but our child had died at just 6 weeks. When we got the terrible news, my wife and I were devastated. I openly wept when I called my mom to tell her the terrible news. I knew that many good people shared their sympathy and this meant a lot to us, but I knew that unless they had lost a child they did not really know how we felt. Most people are well intentioned, but it is very difficult to communicate with someone who has just encountered a tragedy. You don’t know the right words to say or if you should say anything at all. I have been on both sides of this predicament. It is a very difficult situation for all those involved, and that is why I think this is such a good and necessary book. I found out about the book after I heard the author on Gus Lloyd’s morning radio show on the Catholic Channel. The author of this book, Victoria Leland, is a Neonatal Intensive Care nurse. I can’t imagine the pain and suffering she must encounter on a daily basis. She is a frequent witness to premature death, and she is also witness to some of the most intense grieving known to man; that of a grieving parent.

After reading this book, I’ve got a better appreciation for those nurses who work in the NICU and also for those parents who have suffered the loss of infant children. The most important thing I learned from this book is that mothers who have lost children will grieve that loss for much longer than they may even show outwardly. The pain of losing a child may diminish over time, but it never completely goes away. Grieving parents and especially grieving mothers are extremely emotional and physically, mentally, and spiritually vulnerable. Grieving mothers are often irrational in their expectations of their family, friends and acquaintances, but their unrealistic expectations are emotionally charged and not intentional. Although friends and family are almost always well intentioned, often words said or unsaid or actions done or undone are perceived by the grieving mother as hurtful and unsympathetic. We may not always be able to shape how others perceive us, but if we are honest and sincere in our sympathy, most likely even the grieving parent who may not be in the best frame of mind will recognize and appreciate our presence and good intentions. The best way to comfort a grieving parent is to let them know that although you may not fully understand the intense pain they must be suffering, you recognize that they are grieving and that you are available to them for anything they need. Love them unconditionally. This can be one of the most difficult things to do, but it is what God calls us to do and it is what grieving parents desire most.
---

Almighty God, tonight I pray for all grieving parents who have lost a child prematurely and unexpectedly. Few events if any are as devastating and painful as the loss of a child. I pray that these grieving parents find comfort through faith in You, and through the compassion and love of family, friends, and acquaintances. I pray for the repose of the soul of the departed children. May they rejoice with You in heaven and anxiously await reunion with their parents in heaven. And may Almighty God bless all those doctors and nurses who work diligently day in and day out to save the lives of so many seriously ill children and people of all ages. May they have the strength to continue their life saving work with a servant's heart, and be instruments of Your healing power. Amen.

God bless!

Julie Dances to Classic Rock Music

2010-11-07T21:20:00.000-05:00

My baby girl really likes the classic rock music on my phone. Every time she hears it she smiles and starts dancing. She usually likes to go in circles and make herself dizzy, but this time she just shakes her head and runs around. Feel free to laugh at Julie's dorky dad.

2010 Election Results Analysis

2010-11-05T15:56:00.001-04:00

Election Day has come and gone, and now it is time to take a look at the results. At this time there are still a couple of important races in the west that are too close to call. In Colorado, my endorsed candidate for senate Ken Buck is trailing by a couple thousand votes. In Washington, pro-life candidate Rossi is a couple thousand votes behind pro-abortion Murray. In Alaska, it appears that pro-abortion write-in candidate Murkowski is leading republican pro-life nominee Joe Miller. It appears to be bad news in all three of these close races for the pro-life candidates, but I remain hopeful that when all the votes are counted one or more will come out victorious.

Election Day provided mixed results for faithful Catholics and all Christians who believe in the sanctity of human life and the value of the family in society. In the House of Representatives, we elected a majority of pro-life candidates by a wider margin than even thought possible only weeks ago. I was pleasantly surprised at how well pro-life candidates did in the House races. Pro-life candidates also did very well in the governor’s races. These races were not covered nationally to the extent that the House and Senate races were, but they are very important in advancing the pro-life cause. One Governor’s race that ended in disappointment was in Colorado where pro-life candidate Tancredo was defeated by pro-abortion Hickenlooper. It also appears that pro-life Catholic candidate in MN Emmer will lose his election bid although they are still counting votes in MN. The Senate races ended in disappointment in several races. In addition to the 3 close races that are too close to call but appear to be pro-abortion wins, pro-life candidate Angle in NV lost to pro-abortion Senate majority leader Reid. According to polls leading up to the election, it appeared Angle was pulling away and was going to win. Most of the other pro-abortion wins were fully expected and although they are disappointing, the fact that it was expected makes the pro-life losses a little easier to take.

I have focused a lot on the pro-life losses, but all in all it was a very good day for pro-lifers. We gained a huge majority in the house and although we didn’t get a majority in the Senate, we did pick up some very important gains. Perhaps my very favorite politician (and future presidential candidate if you ask me) Marco Rubio in FL won in convincing fashion. Our representatives today are much more pro-life minded than the representatives in the last congress. For this, we should be very pleased. We should not look at these election results as an end, but rather a new beginning in the continued fight for human dignity and rights of all people. The personhood amendment in CO that would have giving rights to human beings at their earliest stages (a common sense amendment to all pro-lifers) was defeated resoundingly. While this result was disappointing, it was also expected. The general public is still very uninformed or their conscience is very clouded when it comes to issues regarding the life of the pre-born baby. We have to work diligently to educate not only ourselves, but to share our knowledge with others so that they may become educated on the most important issues of human dignity and life. We can look at this responsibility as a huge burden or we can look at it as an opportunity. I like to look at our challenges as an opportunity.

I am celebrating the many pro-life victories from Tuesday, but I remain cautious about the results. I know that ultimately it is not our elected officials that will change the culture single handedly. A change in culture requires all of us to make the valuing of human dignity and rights of all people a priority. We must all be advocates for life in our daily lives. It is up to you and me to continue the fight in the cultural wars and spiritual battles. We do not put our confidence in our elected officials or even in ourselves, but we place our confidence in God. Yesterday we celebrated; today it is back to work. Today we continue our fight for the dignity and rights of the unborn and all human beings. Below is a look at how my endorsed candidates fared on Tuesday.

Endorsed Governors

AR – Jim Keet (R) – (Loss)

CO – Tom Tancredo (I) – (Loss)

FL – Rick Scott (R) – (Win)

GA – Nathan Deal (R) – (Win)

IL – Bill Brady (R) – (Undecided – Trialing)

KS – Sam Brownback (R) – (Win)

MN – Tom Emmer (R) – (Undecided – Trailing)

NM – Suzanna Martinez (R) – (Win)

NY – Carl Paladino (R) – (Loss)

OH – John Kasich (R) – (Win)

Governor Endorsement Record: 5-3-2

Endorsed Senators

AK – Joe Miller (R) – (Undecided – Trailing)

CA – Carly Fiorina (R) – (Loss)

FL – Marco Rubio (R) – (Win)

NV – Sharron Angle (R) – (Loss)

Senator Endorsement Record: 1-2-1

Endorsed House Representatives

CA 37 – Star Parker (R) – (Loss)

CA 47 – Van Tran (R) – (Loss)

FL 8 – Daniel Webster (R) – (Win)

IL 17 – Bobby Schilling (R) – (Win)

IN 2 – Jackie Walorski (R) – (Narrow Loss)

OH 1 – Steve Chabot (R) – (Win)

House Representatives Endorsement Record: 3-3

Total Endorsement Record: 9-8-3

We ended up winning about half of the races in which I made an endorsement. Some of these were long shots to win. Georgia elected a vast majority of the pro-life candidates, and considering that Georgia is the state in which I live, I was very pleased with the election results. All-in-all it was a good day for Americans, especially the unborn children. Continue to keep our elected officials in your prayers. God bless!

Election Day

2010-11-02T06:48:00.000-04:00

It is finally election day! It is our duty and responsibility to vote. As faithful Christians, we also have the moral obligation to vote for those candidates who share our values especially on the most critical issues of life. Vote for your faith, freedom, and values today. Vote pro-life. I hope and pray that today we see the balance of power shift to those people who are pro-life. We will not win every race, but I hope and pray for good results today. Let's get our country back on track! God bless America!

Political Endorsements - 2010 U.S. House of Representatives

2010-10-22T11:40:00.002-04:00

Below are 5 endorsements for the House of Representatives. Each one of these races and has a unique story. I will be paying especially close attention to these races on November 2nd. Vote pro-life!
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Van Tran (R) – CA 47

• I am endorsing Van Tran in the race for California’s 47th district. Van Tran is an immigrant from Vietnam whose family moved here to escape the communist regime in Vietnam. Tran is a strong pro-family, pro-life candidate and fiscal conservative. His opponent, Loretta Sanchez, is considered a “blue dog” democrat, but her voting record does not indicate that she is conservative or even moderate on social issues. In fact, she receives high marks from pro-abortion groups NARAL and Planned Parenthood which is never a good thing. Sanchez appears to be yet another “Catholic in name only” democrat. You can’t be truly Catholic and pro-abortion. I’m hoping the California voters will hold her accountable for the bad votes she has made and replace her with a strong social conservative Van Tran.

Star Parker (R) – CA 37

• Star Parker has a unique name, but she also has an inspirational story. Star had a difficult childhood and actually had an abortion years ago, but she had a conversion and is now a pro-life leader. She is the founder and president of CURE, the Center for Urban Renewal & Education, a 501(c)3 non-profit think tank that provides a national voice of reason on issues of race and poverty in the media, inner city neighborhoods, and public policy. The following statement is on the CURE homepage: “Fighting poverty & restoring dignity through faith, freedom, & personal responsibility.” I think that’s awesome! She grew up on government dependency, but she found that relying on the government to solve poverty and all her problems was not the answer. Star is a rising star in the Republican Party and a strong social conservative in a liberal state campaigning against a pro-abortion candidate. She is trying to become the first African American woman Republican representative. What an inspirational story. I fully support and endorse Star Parker in her run for public office. If you live in Star Parker’s district, help make history and vote for the pro-life candidate Star Parker.

Daniel Webster (R) - FL 8

• Daniel Webster was victim to one of the most outrageous and blatantly untrue attack ad from extreme and crazy liberal Alan Grayson. Grayson used a comment Daniel Webster made about faith and how we should live our lives and used it completely out of context to make Webster out to be a bigot. Thankfully, the truth about Webster’s comments came out and I think this had a huge boomerang effect on Grayson. Daniel Webster is a strong pro-family, pro-life candidate going up against perhaps the most liberal congressman in the nation. This is one race I will be watching closely. If you live in Florida district 8, please go out and vote for Daniel Webster. I know you do not want the embarrassment of having THIS MAN continue to be your representative.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv00tSUhYF8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-usmvYOPfco

Jackie Walorski – (R) IN 2

• Jackie Walorski is a strong pro-family and pro-life conservative candidate. Her opponent Joe Donnelly claims to be pro-life, but his votes including his vote for Obamacare don’t reflect that claim. Pro-lifers know that they have a pro-life champion in Jackie Walorski. She is also endorsed by well known pro-life politicians Sarah Palin, Mike Pence, and Mike Huckabee. Below is an inspiring talk she gave to pro-lifers. The video is on Jackie Walorski’s website. Go Jackie!

http://www.jackiewalorski.com/life.php

Steve Chabot - OH 1

• I endorse Steve Chabot for two reasons. Firstly, he is a good candidate who will be a strong fiscal and social conservative. Secondly, his opponent Steve Driehaus did the unthinkable and has sued pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List, an organization I fully support, for attempting to inform the voters about Driehaus’ support of Obamacare and consequently his vote for taxpayer funding of abortion. He has taken it so far that Susan B. Anthony List president Majorie Dannenfelser could face prison time. Congressman Driehaus has really stooped to a low in order to try to continue to try and deceive the voters of Ohio into thinking he is a viable pro-life candidate. This attempt to sue Susan B. Anthony will come back to haunt Driehaus as he has undoubtedly lost the respect of many good citizens of Ohio. Steve Chabot has experience as a congressman and pro-lifers can trust that he will not betray them like Driehaus has done. A Steve will be Ohio’s 1st district representative. I hope and pray that those people in the Cincinnati area choose the right Steve.

The Population Crisis

2010-10-20T22:28:00.001-04:00

Many environmentalists and social liberals are and have been convincing people that overpopulation is destroying the earth and leading to poverty. In fact, it is the declining fertility rate due in large part to the push for "family planning" that started back in the 1970's that is having a hazardous effect on our economy and our way of life. As the baby boom population gets older and retires, there is less consumption as they have declining financial capital to make purchases. They look to sell more often than buy but there are not enough people looking to buy what they have to sell. This is part of the reason why we currently have the housing crisis. The young people are fewer in number, so we young adults and our children will and are already seeing huge financial obligations to take care of the elderly and soon to be elderly. Not to mention we are building TRILLIONS of $ in national debt that must be paid eventually. There are less workers to pay for more retirees. This is a problem that is only going to get larger if we continue on the same path. We will either see huge increases in our taxes or massive cuts spending and promised entitlements such as social security. We are currently in an economic recession, but if we continue on the same path we are on we will see a economic depression worse than any we've seen before in our history. So this cultural mentality that children are a burden to society and that civilized societies are better off by reducing their population is not only morally wrong but it is wrong in every way shape and form including economically and socially. A strong family structure and a growing population is crucial to the success and wellbeing of society. So the next time you hear somebody say they fear overpopulation, let them know that they should be far more concerned about a population decline. I pray that as a culture we reevaluate how we look at life and recognize how many of our policies and cultural attitutudes are dehumanizing and destructive. We will not eliminate poverty by reducing fertility, we will multiply poverty. We are killing our children in the name of convenience and the so called "common good" of society. We need to wake up! Life is a gift from God. When we start to play "god" we will fail and we will fail miserably. May God have mercy on us. Please do yourself a favor and watch the documentary Demographic Winter and it's sequel Demographic Bomb. We need to be informed about the dangers our population control policies present to us and our future offspring. The contraceptive mentality of our culture must be changed. Hearts and minds must be moved. In order for this to happen, people must be informed and know the facts. I think most people have their heart in the right place, but we have been deceived by so called "experts" who have tried to convince us what is best for us. We are in a spiritual battle. The culture of death is strong, but I trust in God and have faith that eventually the culture of life will prevail. Please share this post with friends and family. Many are simply ignorant of the actual long term effects of the actions we make today. I am so thankful for my beautiful daughter and am hopeful that God will bless me with more children. When I think about what kind of legacy I want to leave when my time on earth is up, I would like to say that my children are my legacy. There would be no greater legacy than that. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. Please take a couple minutes and watch the trailer below of the documentary Demographic Bomb. I love you all. As fearful and troubling as this crisis sounds, never fall into despair. God loves you and he will take care of you. Keep the faith. God bless you!

Political Endorsements - 2010 Governor Races

2010-10-17T21:10:00.001-04:00

Below are the 10 most important races for governor in my mind. I have listed my endorsements based primarily on the candidates' positions on pro-family and pro-life issues. Most of these races are closely contested by pro-abortion opponents. If the pro-life leaders in these 10 races win, our country and specifically these states will be headed in the right direction.

2010 Governor Races

AR – Jim Keet (R) – Jim Keet is a a strong pro-life and pro-family candidate. He is in favor of repealing and replacing Obamacare. He has also received the endorsement of Mike Huckabee.

CO – Tom Tancredo (I) – Tom Tancredo is running as an American Constitutionalist Party member. He is strongly pro-life and is supportive of the personhood amendment 62. He is the best chance to beat pro-abortion candidate John Hickenlooper.

FL – Rick Scott (R) – Rick Scott has received an endorsement from Florida right to life. Below are some of his responses to the issue of abortion. "I am pro-life. I believe strongly in the sanctity of human life. I believe Roe v. Wade should be overturned, and as governor, would appoint judges who apply law and not impose their political agenda on the people, which was what was done in 1973 when Roe was wrongly decided," he says in an audio file on his web site. "As governor, I would have signed the pro-life ultrasound legislation that has passed both house of the Florida legislature and was vetoed by Charlie Crist for political reasons," he said. "This important legislation not only demonstrates that abortion is the taking of an innocent human life but also prevents Florida taxpayers from funding abortion through the federal health care plan that recently passed Congress."

GA – Nathan Deal (R) – Nathan is a conservative that is strongly pro-life and pro-family. His main opponent in the race Roy Barnes had his chance as governor a decade ago and he was a disaster. Nathan Deal has been endorsed by the Georgia Right to Life and Mike Huckabee.

IL – Bill Brady (R) – Bill Brady received a 100% rating and an endorsement from the Illinois Federation for Right to life. His Democrat opponent is pro-abortion. The race is close so if you live in Illinois, make sure to go out and vote for Bill Brady on Nov. 2nd. I feel for the people in Illinois because in the race for senator, both the republican and democrat are pro-abortion, social liberals. I’m afraid there is no good choice for senate, but at least the people of Illinois can make the right choice for governor.

KS – Sam Brownback (R) – Sam is a good Catholic man with strong pro-family and pro-life beliefs and policies. It is an easy decision in Kansas.

MN – Tom Emmer (R) – Tom Emmer is the pro-family, pro-life candidate for governor in the state of Minnesota. With only a couple weeks from Election Day, Emmer is only slightly behind pro abortion democrat Mark Dayton in the polls.

NM – Suzanna Martinez (R) - Martinez has been recommended by Right to Life New Mexico as a candidate who will stand up for pro-life principles. Her opponent in the race for governor is actively pro-abortion. In a statement, SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser said, "As a district attorney, Susana Martinez has worked to protect children and families while Diane Denish, an honorary board member of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL), opposes commonsense parental notification laws which ensure that parents are notified if their underage daughter seeks an abortion."

NY – Carl Paladino (R) – Carl Paladino has been the victim of some vicious attacks during his run for governor. He has had some personal struggles in the past and he isn't the most eloquent speaker, but his beliefs and policies are very pro-family and pro-life. His opponent is fiercely pro-abortion. The following is a statement on Carl Paladino’s website regarding his position on abortion. “I was born and raised a Catholic and have always believed in the inherent dignity and sanctity of all human life. I believe the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed. At its core, abortion is a fundamental assault on the sanctity of innocent human life - especially the abhorrent practice of partial birth abortion. I oppose using public revenues to promote or perform abortion and, as Governor, I will not fund organizations which advocate the procedure. I also support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity and dignity of innocent human life.” He is a long shot to win the nomination, but anything is possible.

OH – John Kasich (R) – John Kasich has been endorsed by Ohio right to life as well as Mike Huckabee. The following is a quote from the head of Ohio Right to Life. "John Kasich had an outstanding pro-life voting record during his career in Congress," he said. "His running mate, Mary Taylor, is an articulate advocate of the right to life movement. As Governor and Lt. Governor, they will reflect the common sense and common decency of the people of Ohio." Kasich’s democrat opponent has compiled a pro-abortion record as Governor of Ohio.

REMEMBER TO VOTE PRO-LIFE ON NOV. 2ND!

Attention Colorado Voters: Vote YES to Amendment 62!

2010-10-15T12:12:00.000-04:00

Below is a link to a debate regarding Amendment 62. Life begins at conception. Every life deserves the God given right to life.

http://www.9news.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=636683315001#/News/Amendment%2062%20debate%20%2D%20part%201%20of%202/49906872001/50183015001/636683315001

Remember Bart Stupak?

2010-10-06T15:39:00.000-04:00

Below is an email I recently received from CatholicVote.com. I felt I had to share. I am hoping and praying that Michigan voters will replace Bart Stupak with a faithful Catholic man who will vote pro-life and not just talk as if he's pro-life and then fold under pressure. Actions speak far louder than words.
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Dear CatholicVote Friend,
The race to replace retiring Rep. Bart Stupak is really heating up.
You remember Stupak. He claimed he would fight until the end to keep a ban on abortion funding in the health care bill. We stood up for him, and he abandoned us. Worse, he went to the House floor and attacked you for being a “hypocrite.”
But that’s not the end of the story.
Just last week, Bart Stupak endorsed his protégé Gary McDowell and pledged to do everything he can to elect him. And like Stupak, McDowell supports the health care bill as is. This law, remember, contains flimsy protections against taxpayer funding of abortion and no conscience protections to protect the rights of doctors and health care workers.

Here’s an idea – let’s replace Stupak with a principled and courageous Catholic doctor who knows the harm Stupak has done!
A pro-life Catholic physician has decided to take on Stupak’s hand-picked successor. His name is Dr. Dan Benishek, a pro-life Catholic surgeon who understands our health care system inside and out. He has proudly said, “From conception to natural death, all human life is sacred and must be protected.” Dr. Benishek wants to repeal the health care law.
Dr. Benishek is one of our 2010 CatholicVote.org featured endorsements, and right now is polling even with McDowell!
We’re preparing an avalanche of radio ads in this district.
Can we count on your help to put them on the air?
Bart Stupak let us down, but we won’t forget. Votes have consequences.

Help us send a strong message.
Donate here: https://www.catholicvote.org/index.php?/site/donation/&amount=&tp=c4

Brian Burch

President

CatholicVote Civic Action
P.S. Dr. Dan Benishek is the kind of pro-life doctor we need in Congress.
He recently said, “We need to focus on free market reforms, which will increase competition and decrease costs. A good place to start would be to repeal ObamaCare and replace it with a bill allowing health insurance to be tax deductible, portable, and sold across state lines."
Help us fill the airwaves in northern Michigan with new radio ads from CatholicVote.org!

CatholicVote.org Civic Action
P.O. Box 2709
Chicago, IL 60690

Political Endorsements - 2010 U.S. Senate

2010-10-01T20:18:00.007-04:00

As citizens of the great nation of the United States, it is our duty and responsibility to vote in elections. This is one way where we can make our voices heard; by electing candidates who represent our values. The primary election this November is very important. It is critical that we elect men and women who will block some of the radical anti-life, anti-family policies of this White House administration and get our country back on the right track. When deciding who to endorse, although I am a registered Republican, I do not look at the political party as a deciding factor. I only endorse those people I believe share my values and are of high moral character. Not all issues are of equal weight. In order to gain an endorsement from me, the candidate must be a strong pro-life and pro-family advocate. These social issues take priority for me when deciding who to vote for, but I also consider other important issues. I believe that the best way to govern is for limited government control where the power rests with the people. The government is there to protect and serve the people. I believe in an economic policy that lowers taxes and reduces spending so that working Americans can keep more of the money they earn and spend their money how they see best. I know how to spend my money better than the government. This is not to say that we should ignore the poor, many of whom want to find work but simply cannot. Not all poor people are lazy just as not all rich people are hard working. I believe that the best way to serve the poor is to give them opportunities to work themselves out of poverty. Also, local charities specialize in meeting the needs of the poor, and do a much better job of it than the government ever would or could. I worry about our national debt which is a national security risk and it is also a growing burden on us and future generations. As for immigration, I believe that it is imperative that we strengthen the security of our boarders and we reform our immigration policies. I am not supportive of an amnesty for illegal aliens, but I believe that we must find a compassionate solution to the problem of illegal immigration. Illegal immigrants may not be privileged to all the rights of an American citizen, but they still deserve to be treated humanely and respectfully. I am a registered Republican, but I don’t necessarily agree with all of the policies on the Republican platform. Many Republicans are strongly in favor of the death penalty, which I don’t believe is necessary in most cases. Many Republicans also believe that the best national defense is an aggressive war agenda. Although I fully support our troops and believe they are doing good work in promoting freedom, I don’t believe that war is always the best answer to solve a problem or the only way toward peace. When I vote, I vote for who I think will best represent the Christian values necessary to be a great leader. I hope to vote for people with character who are not afraid to take a strong moral stand on important issues regardless of the political ramifications. Respect for life, family and freedoms are the most important issues to me, and they are the most important qualities I look for in a politician or any person for that matter. Although no politician is perfect, I feel it is my responsibility to endorse and support those candidates that I feel best represent Christian values. It is necessary to elect good people to further promote a culture of life. After some research and time of reflection, below are a few candidates I endorse in the 2010 Senate primary election in November.

U.S Senate

Marco Rubio - Florida

I have heard Marco talk. I have seen his confidence, composure and clear vision for Florida and America. He has faith in the American people. I have read about his inspiring story. He is a strong and faithful Catholic man. He is strongly pro-life and pro-family and has exposed his opponents’ weaknesses in these most critical issues. For Florida voters, the choice for whom to vote for Senator this November is an easy one. Vote for Marco Rubio!

Joe Miller – Alaska

Joe Miller is the pro-life candidate in the state of Alaska. In August, the underdog Miller defeated pro-choice Republican Lisa Murkowski. Now Murkowski isn’t accepting defeat and is pushing a write-in campaign. Joe Miller is a West Point graduate who has experience serving the country and being a leader. Please join me in supporting the true conservative, pro-family/pro-life candidate in Alaska, Joe Miller.

Sharron Angle – Nevada

“Many people will mistakenly assume that the CatholicVote.org PAC is exclusively for Catholic candidates. Not true! Sharon Angle is a Southern Baptist, but her defense of life, marriage, and her understanding of the proper role of government has convinced us that Catholics have a friend in Sharron Angle,” said Brian Burch, President of CatholicVote.org PAC

Carly Fiorina – California

Carly is not my favorite candidate, but she is far better than the alternative in California, extremely liberal senator Barbara Boxer. How could anyone forget this exchange with former PA Senator and pro-life advocate Rick Santorum? Carly will uphold pro-life values and promote fiscal responsibility in a state that has huge debt and is in severe financial crisis. Carly has received endorsements from the pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List, Sarah Palin, and a number of other respected pro-family/pro-life conservatives.

All of these candidates happen to be Republican, but unfortunately in the current political climate it is rare to find a pro-life democrat. All of the opponents in the races listed above are not pro-life, and have a history of a voting record that is not consistent with the culture of life values we so desperately need. Please consider lending your support to one or all of these candidates, and if you live in their district make sure you go out and vote for the pro-life candidate in November. I will list endorsements for the House of Representatives and Governor of Georgia in my next post. There are several other great candidates that are worthy of endorsements, but I am trying to focus on those races I believe to be a tossup or most important or those candidates that I really believe to be exceptional. Without question, my favorite candidate in this list is Marco Rubio. If you haven’t heard or seen him talk, do yourself a favor and visit his website. I like everything about him, and I believe he will win easily in November. He is an inspiring figure, and his message of American exceptionalism and his positive results oriented ideas are just what this country needs. In this most critical time, keep all our civil, political, and religious leaders in your prayers. God bless America!

A Day of Victories at Governor's Ridge

2010-09-26T15:44:00.000-04:00

The account below is given by Sarita, who is a wonderful pro-life warrior. At the bottom of the post is a picture of me with two other women from St. Michael's who are also members of the Respect Life Committee. Also below is the beautiful poster of the virgin Mary which our committee bought last year. The other picture is of a woman who came to the abortion facility over a year ago with the idea of getting an abortion but she changed her mind. What a wonderful choice she made. Look how cute her girl is!
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Dear brothers and sisters,

Today was certainly a Day of Victories at Governor's Ridge, by the Grace of God!
In spite of the fact that most of the Hispanic Community of St. Thomas was attending a retreat out of town, the Lord still provided us with 44 prayer warriors, representing a variety of cultural backgrounds, as well as Protestant and Catholic church affiliations. All were united prayer in defense of Life, so much so that the enemy was very angry and tried to intimidate us. Someone (we suspect it was the abortion clinic) called the police and falsely told them there were people running up to the cars and harrassing the drivers. Out of the blue, three patrol cars showed up, and I ran to see what was the matter. The officers asked if I was with the group, and I said yes, and they told me about the allegation. I very cheerfuly denied it, assuring the officers we had all been very peacefully praying, like they know we always do, and that there were children with us. They believed me, and said they have to follow up on any complaints, that we were within our rights to pray peacefully, and that they didn't know who had called in the complaint. Then two of the patrol cars drove off, and the third officer watched us pray for a short time and then left too: The Lord's Victory Number One.

Not long after that, our honored guest of the day arrived: the Lord's Victory Number Two. It was Latina, the beautiful African-American mother who chose Life at this very clinic last year and now brought her nine-month-old little Chelsea to participate with her in the prayer vigil. Chelsea is the most powerful sign that can be shown to any mother entering or leaving the clinic area. She is so precious! I have attached pictures of her and her mother. Latina told us about the day she chose not to abort little Chelsea, after seeing our large sign of an 8-week-old baby in the womb. Chelsea was about that far along in the womb at that time.

That sign didn't get photographed today, as it had already been taken home when I started taking pictures. But it was present at the clinic long enough today to have been the instrument of the Lord's Victory Number Three. An African-American couple, who was probably the last one scheduled for an abortion today, pulled up to the light to turn into Governor's Ridge. Our Hispanic group began to wave their signs, especially the big one of the 8-week-old baby in the womb. The man, who was driving, tried to cover his face with his cap, in order not to have to look at that sign. When the light turned green, the couple drove into the complex, but then they paused, just inside the entrance. Afterwards they turned and drove through the complex and out one of the exits, leaving without ever going to the clinic. We feel sure they chose Life for their baby because of the prayers and the sign. Please pray for them, that they persevere in their decision for Life, and that they joyfully discover God's provision for all their needs, as Latina did.
Latina and her baby's father, who is Caucasian, are attending a church regularly now, along with her two teenage daughters. The are engaged to be married, and she testifies that the secret to making the right decisions in life is for the Lord to have First Place in one's Life. I heartlily agree. It is His love that impells us to reach out to these mothers at Governor's Ridge.
Please pray for all who have joined us to continue to make that sacrifice, and pray that others may be added to their numbers. Our prayerful presence may cause a mother to change her mind and keep her baby.
In Christ for Life....Sarita

September Respect Life Committee Updates

2010-09-16T12:39:00.000-04:00

Silence on Contraception has Caused Confusion Among Many Catholics

Silence from the clergy on the issue of contraception is in large part to blame for why a majority of Catholics use contraception despite the practice going against church teaching. It is not only the responsibility of the Church hierarchy, but also the lay faithful to speak up about the immorality of artificial contraception and to practice what they teach. While understanding that this is a delicate subject, we must explain to those who do not understand why the Church considers this practice sinful because this is the charitable thing to do. We must also express the great joy and freedom that natural family planning offers to married couples. People are generally more open to listening to a positive message, and a marriage where spouses love and respect each other so much that they are willing to give of themselves completely is a positive message. People need to know that the divorce rate among couples who actively practice natural family planning is around 1% as opposed to the over 50% average. These are the positive messages that people really need to hear. We will never win the battle against abortion if we don’t also address the problem of widespread use of artificial contraception.

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/catholic-clergy-have-been-worse-than-silent-on-contraception-says-canon-law-expert/

“Catholics for Equality” Promotes Dissension From Church Teaching on Homosexuality

Another so called “Catholic” group is promoting an agenda contrary to the Catholic Church. The newly formed group, Catholics for Equality, is promoting homosexual political agendas and is openly critical of Catholic bishops and the teachings of the Catholic Church on homosexuality. Although the issue of “gay marriage” is not generally thought of as a pro-life issue, I believe that all controversial moral issues are worthy of mention when talking about pro life. This is especially true with the issue of protecting the sacrament of marriage, because it is through marriage that procreation is designed to take place.

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/catholic-dissenters-create-homosexual-political-group-solicit-reports-of-anti-equality-activity/

Embryonic Stem Cell Funding Ban on Hold

Pro-life groups were pleasantly surprised a couple weeks ago when a judge ruled to ban federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. However, President Obama and his aides have appealed the ruling and there has now been a temporary hold on the decision. Pray that the judge’s decision will be upheld and that our tax dollars will not go toward destruction of human embryos.

http://www.lifenews.com/bio3176.html

40 Days For Life Kick-off Rally This Saturday

When – Saturday, September 18th : Vigil begins at 6:00 AM. Rally begins at 9:00 AM.

Where – In front of the abortion mill at Governor’s Ridge. Park in the empty strip mall at the southwest corner of Delk Road and Powers Ferry Road.

Directions - Address: 1640 Powers Ferry Road, Marietta

Take Windy Hill Road, going east, to Powers Ferry Road, crossing over I-75.

At Powers Ferry Road, turn left (north).
The first traffic light you encounter will be directly in front of the Governor’s Ridge office complex, which will be on your left. (Do not turn into the complex. We are not allowed to park there.)

Continue on Powers Ferry Road, passing a fire station. After the fire station you will see Kims Care Kleaners and a huge parking lot.

Park and walk back to Governor’s Ridge.

Rules - Stay on the sidewalk, and do not step on the grass behind the sidewalk. Do not stand in the driveways that enter and exit the complex, or stand on the islands at the main entrance. Leave room for joggers to pass freely. Do not enter the complex.

You need not talk to anyone. You may pray out loud or silently. The Rosary is a suggested prayer that is very powerful.

You may make your own sign (preferably laminated, since it might rain), or we can lend you one, until they run out.

We suggest you bring a vigil candle if you are going to be praying before it is light. On Saturdays, the busiest day for abortions, the women start arriving before 6am, so if you have a candle, they can see you are praying for them. You may save a life!

Children are welcome, but need supervision. Powers Ferry Road is a busy street.

More Information

You can sign up for a time slot on the vigil calendar on the local 40 days for life website.

http://40daysforlife.com/marietta/

Please urge others to join us. Innocent lives are at stake.

Respect Life Meeting

We will have our monthly meeting on Monday, September 20th. Plan on meeting in Conference Room B. We will have several issues to discuss so I hope many of you will be able to attend.

Prayer Vigil

Our monthly prayer vigil will be Saturday, September 25th. We will meet at 8:00 AM at St. Michael’s and carpool over to Governor’s Ridge. Since abortion appointments are being scheduled earlier, we may want to consider going back to the original schedule of meeting at 7:00 AM, but at least for this month we will meet at 8:00 AM. The 4o Days for Life Campaign will have already started, so I’m really hoping for a big crowd next Saturday.

God bless,
Mike

Does God Have a Plan for Your Life?

2010-09-14T13:04:00.001-04:00

*The following is a 2001 quote from famous musician Dave Matthews.*

"It would be safe to say that I'm agnostic. However, I do feel as though we owe a faith to the world and to ourselves. We owe a grace and gratitude to things that have brought us here. But I think it's very ignorant to say, "Well, for everything, God has a plan." That's like an excuse. ... Maybe the real faithful act is to commit to something, to take action, as opposed to saying, "Well, everything is in the hand of God." – Dave Matthews to the Boston Globe Mar. 4, 2001

I am a big fan of Dave Matthew’s music, but I don’t sign up to his religious views. I believe in God. I believe Jesus Christ died for us so that we might have eternal life. However, I think Dave Matthews makes a valid point when he says that people who use the phrase ‘God has a plan’ as an excuse are ignorant. We must not use the phrase “God has a plan” as an excuse. God’s plan for us is to love. He desires that we love Him above all things. We should also love our neighbor and ourselves. We all have been given the gift of free will. This is a gift given by God that distinguishes the human race from other animals. This free will means that we have the choice to choose between good and evil. So when we choose evil is this just part of God’s plan? Absolutely not! God is all good and everything he created is good. Our choices are ours and ours alone. When we do good deeds the Holy Spirit may be working within us, but the good deed requires us to listen to the Holy Spirit and take action. It is ultimately our choice. On the flip side, the devil may tempt us to do evil but at the end of the day the choice is ours. We should not blame our sinful actions on the devil. God is not interested in excuses. God can make good out of all situations, meaning that no matter what the situation there may be or how that situation came about, some good will occur if we appropriately respond to that situation. However, this does not mean that every situation is His plan. When we sin, it was not God’s plan but rather our denial of the plan He has for us. When we sin we should not try to explain it away, but acknowledge our sinfulness and actively work to rid those sinful acts from our life. To be a faithful Christian is more than just believing in Jesus, it means to have faith in Him and do good works. It means that we recognize our sinfulness and we are constantly striving to rid ourselves of our sinful ways so that we may become more like Him. We do this best though prayer and the Sacraments. We must use our talents to glorify God. To be Christian does not mean that we sit on the sidelines and watch the action. We must be in the game. When we live according to God’s plan which is love, we will win and God will smile. God’s plan is love. Go and live according to His plan.

God bless,

Father's Love Letter

2010-09-10T13:57:00.000-04:00

The following was forwarded to me by a friend. It is so good that I had to share. God bless!
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Father's Love Letter

My Child ~

You may not know me, but I know everything about you ~ Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up ~ Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways ~ Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered ~ Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image ~ Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being ~ Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring ~ Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived ~ Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation ~ Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book ~ Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live ~ Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made ~ Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb ~ Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born ~ Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me ~ John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love ~ 1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you ~ 1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child and I am your father ~ 1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could ~ Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father ~ Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand ~ James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs ~ Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope ~ Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love ~ Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore ~ Psalm 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing ~ Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you ~ Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession ~ Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul ~ Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things ~ Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me ~ Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart ~ Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires ~ Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine ~ Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager ~ 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles ~ 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you ~ Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart ~ Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes ~ Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth ~ Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus ~ John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed ~ John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being ~ Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you ~ Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins ~ 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled ~ 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you ~ 1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love ~ Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me ~ 1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again ~ Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen ~ Luke 15:7

I have always been Father, and will always be Father ~ Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is ~ Will you be my child? ~ John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you ~ Luke 15:11-3

Love, Your Dad, Almighty God

Does Money Buy Happiness?

2010-09-07T16:50:00.001-04:00

According to a report in Tuesday's edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a person’s emotional well-being tends to increase with their income up to about $75,000. (Can Money Buy Happiness?)

This is an interesting report, but I am not surprised by the results. I definitely don’t think money buys happiness, but I can understand how a stable financial situation may make it a little easier to be happy so long as the person has their priorities straight. I think when people are falling on hard times, financial or otherwise, it’s easy to fall into despair and fear. $75,000/year is enough money to meet basic family needs such as clothing, food, and housing and provides a little cushion for some savings and nonessentials. However, there is no clear indication that people that make more than $75,000/year are any happier. In this culture which places so much importance on financial well-being and material things, sometimes the idea of what it means to be happy is misunderstood. A strong faith in God is the best and surest avenue to happiness if you ask me. A strong support system of family and friends is also a great comfort. A stable financial situation may help a person feel happy, but it is not the source of happiness.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Dear Lord, thank you for all the wonderful gifts you have given me.
I know that all good things come from you. May I never lose sight
of what is important in this life. I know that You are the true source
of all happiness. May I never fall into despair and fear no matter what
sort of difficult circumstance comes my way. I trust in You Lord.
I know that You will provide me strength to overcome all obstacles
so long as I remain faithful to You. Look after all those who are poor.
May they find what they need to be able to take proper care of themselves
and their families. Inspire in those of us who have an abundance to
lovingly share our gifts with those less fortunate. In Jesus' name, Amen.

God bless!

Never Underestimate the Power of Prayer

2010-08-16T15:59:00.002-04:00

Praise God for this praise report! Please continue to keep Pam, my aunt Mary, and all others who are suffering from cancer in your prayers.
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THANKS BE TO GOD FOR ALL OF YOU WONDERFUL PRAYER WARRIORS!!!!

PAM AND MIKE JUST RECEIVED THE PRAISE REPORT THAT WE ALL HAVE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO. THE CAT SCAN WHICH SHE ENCOUNTERED LAST WEDNESDAY SHOWED THAT THE TUMOR WHICH WAS THE SIZE OF A LEMON ON HER LUNG IS GONE. YES, I REPEAT GONE AND THE TUMORS ON THE LIVER ARE 80 PERCENT GONE. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE FROST FAMILY IS REJOICING AT THIS AWESOME NEWS. WE MUST NEVER DOUBT THE POWER OF PRAYER EVEN WHEN THINGS SEEM SO OUT OF CONTROL.

PAM'S THIRD ROUND OF CHEMO STARTED THIS MORNING AND THE DOCTOR STILL HAS GREAT CONCERN BECAUSE OF HOW AGGRESSIVE THIS TYPE OF CANCER IS BUT KNOWS THAT SOMETHING BESIDES THE CHEMO IS WORKING ON HIS PATIENT. PLEASE CONTINUE TO ASK OUR DEAR LORD FOR TOTAL HEALING IF THIS IS HIS WILL FOR PAM. SHE HAS TOUCHED SO MANY HEARTS.

The Wiggles!

2010-08-15T16:44:00.000-04:00

The Wiggles came to Gwinett Arena this weekend and my daughter Julie LOVES the Wiggles so of course we had to go see them. There were ALOT of kids and young families there. Below are a couple of short videos I took.

And another video...

An Interview With My Brother Steve: A Seminarian

2010-08-12T06:58:00.003-04:00

My brother Steve recently came down to Georgia to visit me and the family. It was great to see him. His faith in God really does inspire me. I hope some of that great faith and love of God rubs off on me. Because I think many people are confused about the religious life and more specifically the priesthood, I wanted to interview my brother Steve, who is a seminarian, and ask him about his call to the priesthood. Priests don't grow on trees. They are regular down to earth guys just like my brother. Their decision to enter the priesthood and give up many of the pleasures of married life is a selfless act of submission to God's will. I hope you enjoy the interview and please keep my brother Steve in your prayers as he continues his journey toward the priesthood. Also, if you enjoyed this interview, please forward this link on to friends and family. Thank you and God bless!

Book Reflections: The Rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan

2010-08-02T17:23:00.001-04:00

Below are my reflections on The Rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan: Mass Mobilization, Civil War & the Future of the Region

As mentioned in my reflections, this book is a little hard to read and there is some obvious bias in the book due to the fact that the author was an Afghan Mujahadeen fighter, but never the less this is an informative book that will give you a better understanding of the situation in Afghanistan as seen through the eyes of someone who grew up in Afghanistan.

Blood Money Documentary

2010-07-29T23:01:00.000-04:00

I just received my pre-ordered copy of the documentary Blood Money. This is a movie that people really need to see because it exposes the abortion industry for what it really is; an industry driven by financial greed, not compassion for women. Some of the revelations in this movie will probably shock you and I know it deeply saddend me. I will be setting up a meeting with the pastor at my church to see if we can have a showing of this movie at the parish hall. DVD's are now available at the website Blood Money Film.

Big Announcement

2010-07-28T15:03:00.001-04:00

GRTL Uses Poor Analogy, But Handel is Still Not Worthy of Pro-Life Endorsement

2010-07-26T22:38:00.002-04:00

Handel is firing back at Georgia Right to Life executives who have refused to endorse her because of some of her views on life issues. In a news story in Politico this week, GRTL PAC Executive Director Melanie Crozier questioned Palin’s endorsement of Handel and said that “[Palin] has a son with Down’s Syndrome, and under Karen Handel’s laws, Handel would have felt like it was ok to go in and abort that child.”

I feel like this was a poor analogy and wording by Melanie Crozier, but before everyone follows Handel's screams for Crozier's ouster, let's look at exactly what she said and consider the context in which she spoke. Melanie first simply pointed out a fact that Sarah Palin's son has Down's Syndrome. I see nothing wrong with that. Then she mention's "Karen Handel's laws." What is she talking about here? Well, in a life site news article written on June 3rd, Dan Becker, the Georgia Right to Life president, tells LifeNews.com, "Handel proclaims herself pro-life; however, she does not meet the 21st century demands of being pro-life. For instance, Handel believes that a child may be aborted based on its manner of conception. When I asked her directly her thoughts on the value of embryos, she answered that she does not believe that an embryonic human is a child," Becker said.

Karen Handel is supportive of abortion in cases of rape, incest, and health of the mother. On the other hand, her competitor for Georgia governor makes the only exception in the case that the mother's life is in danger. Although Sarah Palin's pregnancy does not fit any of those acceptions, Handel's interpretation of the value of life is dependent on the circumstances surrounding the pregnancy. In cases of rape and incest, the health of the mother may not be in danger. What justification is there then for killing the baby? When people allow acceptions based on the circumstances it is not a far stretch to imagine that they soon too would accept killing babies that would also appear to be born under other difficult circumstances. Although I follow Melanie Crozier's logic, and agree with it, I think she definitely misspoke when trying to explain her position.

Full disclosure, I am supporting Nathan Deal in the GA republican race for governor because I do not trust Handel and her positions on the most important social issues: the protection of life and family. In addition to her views on abortion in cases of rape and incest, I have serious concerns about her apparent belief that a human embryo is not a child. I have a serious problem with her funding of programs through Planned Parenthood. I have serious questions about her dedication and resolve to protect the institution of marriage considering her support of gay group Log Cabin Republicans. I must note that Handel has since denied the claim about supporting Log Cabin Republicans, she has tried to explain her funding of Planned Parenthood (rather unsuccessfully I might add), and she continues to say she is "staunchly and unequivocally" pro-life.

The question is what and who do you trust. Honestly, I'm not sure I fully trust any politician, but I certainly don't trust Handel. She has run a campaign primarily based on attacks some of which I feel were honestly uncalled for and mean spirited. Her answers to direct questions on social issues reflect at best a lack of interest or knowledge, and at worst poor moral ideals. She knows that social issues are very important to a large percentage of social conservative republicans like myself, and I believe that she knows she must get the social conservative vote to win the nomination. Personally, I don't buy what she is trying to sell. While I might agree with her that Crozier's analogy was poor, I do not agree with her campaign to force Crozier and Becker to resign from GRTL. Based on comments I've read from Handel, she seems to be very bitter and unpleasant. Although a good personality isn't completely necessary in running a state, I think it does call into question her character. This also brings into question her judgement and how she would work to resolve problems. It is for these reasons that I endorse Nathan Deal for Governor of Georgia. Did you hear that AJC?

Kegan's "Answer" on Natural Law is VERY Troubling

2010-07-19T20:26:00.002-04:00

This video alone should be enough for you to urge your elected representative to vote NO on Kegan for Supreme Court Justice. Her response to whether people have God given, unalienable rights is very,very troubling. Kegan is also extreme in her views on life issues. She supports partial birth abortion even at it's latest stages, assisted suicide, and may even support human cloning. Kegan is a radical liberal. Voting for her confirmation is this week. Make sure your voice of opposition to Kegan is heard before the vote.

If you find this video as troubling as I do, please sign the petition to oppose Elena Kegan HERE.

GA Senator Saxby Chambliss Will Vote NO on Elena Kegan's Supreme Court Nomination

2010-07-15T10:15:00.003-04:00

Good News from GA! Below is an email I received this morning from Senator Saxby Chambliss in response to my letter voicing my concerns about Elena Kagan.
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Dear Mr. Duquaine:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the nomination of Elena Kagan. It is good to hear from you.

On May 10, 2010, President Obama nominated Elena Kagan to be Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Ms. Hagan currently serves as the Solicitor General of the United States, and was confirmed by the Senate 61-31 on March 19, 2009.

I have consistently stated that Supreme Court nominees must not engage in legislating from the bench, but instead interpret the laws as written. Additionally, any judge who sits on the nation's highest court must understand that the correct venue for making policy is the legislative branch. After reviewing Solicitor General Kagan's record, I remain unconvinced that she will show this requisite judicial restraint

Furthermore, Ms. Kagan once criticized the Supreme Court confirmation process as lacking "seriousness and substance," but when faced with the opportunity to clarify many of her more troubling positions during days of questioning before the Senate Judiciary Committee, she was evasive and unhelpful. Her inadequate answers leave me with significant concerns on several issues, including discriminatory actions against military recruiters, in clear violation of federal law, while she was dean of Harvard Law School in protest of the military's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy; her hostility toward the Second Amendment while employed by the judicial and executive branches; and her support for the egregious practice of partial-birth abortion. Therefore, I will vote against her nomination to the Supreme Court.

If you would like to receive timely email alerts regarding the latest congressional actions and my weekly e-newsletter, please sign up via my web site at:www.chambliss.senate.gov . Please let me know whenever I may be of assistance.

How I Became Involved in the Pro Life Ministry

2010-07-14T18:57:00.001-04:00

Urgent Prayer Request

2010-07-03T20:15:00.003-04:00

I just learned that my good friend from our pro life group at church has really bad cancer. She has a large tumor on her lung and also has liver and bone cancer. This news pains me deeply. Pam is such a wonderful person. She is the respect life leader at our church. She has just been through a long process of adopting a foster child and now they may take the child away from her. My heart aches at this news. I wish such terrible things didn't happen to such wonderful people, but I know God has a plan. Please keep Pam and her family in your prayers. We will be praying a rosary for her at 7 pm next Tuesday. I ask that you pray a rosary or if you are not familiar with the rosary please say another prayer for Pam at that time. Somehow God will make good of even this terrible situation. Thank you very much for your prayers.

God bless.

Please Help Support FOCUS

2010-06-21T09:28:00.002-04:00

FOCUS stands for Fellowship of Catholic University Students. FOCUS missionaries exists to build relationships with college students and introduce them to Jesus Christ and His Church, empowering them to do the same for others. Focus missionaries reach out to students by leading Bible studies, mentoring students one-on-one, and much more. These missionaries need your prayers but they also need finacial assistance. My cousin Joe is a FOCUS missionary. Please join me in supporting Joe and all the FOCUS missionaries through prayer and financial assistance. To make a tax deductible donation to FOCUS, click on their website HERE. Know that no donation is too small and your support of FOCUS is greatly appreciated by everyone at FOCUS. I am not a member of FOCUS, but I support their work. FOCUS makes the Church stronger and brings more people to the truth of Jesus Christ. We should all be doing the same.

FOCUS

God bless!

Thought For the Day: Do Not Be Afraid

2010-06-18T06:58:00.001-04:00

Do not be afraid. Believe in the almighty power and mercy of God, and you will have nothing to fear. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord today and everyday.

Live Life Joyfully

2010-06-16T08:38:00.002-04:00

Be thankful for the good things in your life; don't dwell on the bad things. Do not simply ignore evil, but out of love confront it as best you can and let God take care of the rest. Answer negativity, despair, and hate with positivity, hope and love. This approach to life will bring you happiness and joy and it will spread to others.

Catholic Colleges Are Undermining the Bishops

2010-06-10T08:36:00.003-04:00

Below is a message from former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania Rick Santorum. Please consider supporting the Cardinal Newman Society. God bless!

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To: Faithful Catholics

From: Hon. Rick Santorum
Former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania

Subject: Catholic Colleges Are Undermining the Bishops

As someone who treasures our Catholic Faith, I write with great concern.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo recently said that Catholics who lobbied for the health care reform law—ignoring the Bishops' warnings about abortion funding and weak conscience protections—had caused "confusion and a wound to Catholic unity."

And to make matters worse, among those working against the Church on pro-life health care were educators at our Catholic colleges.

And then there is this: President Obama's latest addition to the powerful Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a same-sex marriage advocate whose concept of "sexual liberty" would trump our religious liberty.

And what were the credentials by which she was selected for this honor? Since 1991, she has been a celebrated professor at Georgetown Law Center—at a Jesuit Catholic university.

When Catholic colleges help advance the secular assault on morality and religious liberty, faithful Catholics need to stand up in defense of the Faith!

We cannot ignore the fact that certain Catholic colleges are employing and honoring dissenters who actively undermine the Church on abortion, marriage, healthcare and conscience protections.

And that is why I hope that you will click here immediately to join The Cardinal Newman Society's urgent efforts to fight for our religious liberty and demand genuine Catholic identity.

Because the stakes are high!

Chai Feldblum, the recent Georgetown law professor who is now at the EEOC, helped author the "Employment Non-Discrimination Act " (ENDA) which is before Congress. This bill could cripple Catholic schools, hospitals and other charities by forcing them to provide benefits to same-sex couples.

Feldblum joins the EEOC just as it considers an appeal by Belmont Abbey College, a faithful Catholic college in North Carolina which has been charged with discrimination for refusing to cover birth control pills in its employee health plan.

If the appeal is rejected, Belmont Abbey and other faithful Catholic colleges could be forced to close their doors rather than compromise their Catholic identity!

The Cardinal Newman Society is determined to not let that happen. It has publicly defended Belmont Abbey and enlisted leading legal and insurance experts to advise Catholic colleges on protecting their Catholic identity.

But the irony here is that the celebrated professor of a Catholic university is now a threat to faithful Catholic colleges!

That is why The Cardinal Newman Society and its more than 20,000 members have been so courageous in speaking out when the Faith is undermined by our own Catholic educators!

I urge you immediately to join and assist The Cardinal Newman Society's efforts to defend religious liberty and restore Catholic identity.

Because you need The Cardinal Newman Society's reports to keep informed about what is going on right beneath our noses! There are many others like Feldblum.

Consider the damage that liberal Catholics caused during the last days of the healthcare debate, when they undermined the Bishops' demands for pro-life and conscience provisions.

For instance, an influential group of 25 leading "theologians"—11 of them citing Catholic college credentials—lobbied Congress to reject concerns about the bill. That gave legislators cover to vote for the bill with a "clear conscience."

And according to the Associated Press, the University of Notre Dame's president emeritus Father Theodore Hesburgh helped House Speaker Nancy Pelosi convince a pro-life congressman to switch his vote in support of the health care bill.

Soon after the health care law was signed, Georgetown welcomed "special guest" Nancy Pelosi to a university celebration despite her firm opposition to any pro-life compromise in the law.

The Cardinal Newman Society needs your help to defend the Faith—even on Catholic campuses!

Several leading Catholic colleges and universities have long been a source of disunity in the Church by employing dissident theologians, honoring pro-abortion politicians and hosting performances of the obscene play, The Vagina Monologues.

For 17 years, The Cardinal Newman Society has worked for genuine Catholic identity at America's great Catholic colleges and universities. I have seen this organization do some amazing work:
After years of exposing pro-abortion and otherwise scandalous commencement speakers on Catholic campuses, the number has declined from 24 in 2006 to just eleven this year!

The Cardinal Newman Society has introduced tens of thousands of Catholic families to faithfully Catholic institutions with The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College.

Last year the Society stood tall against Notre Dame's commencement honors for President Barack Obama, gathering more than 367,000 signatures in opposition!
It is this sort of leadership that is so greatly needed today. The Cardinal Newman Society has been fighting for Catholic identity and freedom for 17 years—and winning!

You should be a part of this exciting and urgent effort by supporting The Cardinal Newman Society today.

Your support will be especially helpful as The Cardinal Newman Society faces new, serious challenges this summer.

The federal takeover of student loans—so that money is loaned directly from the U.S. government—is raising new concerns about protecting Catholic colleges from government intrusion.

And the EEOC is expected to rule on Belmont Abbey College, potentially setting up a court battle that could have devastating consequences for the religious freedom of Catholics!

To address these and other threats to authentic Catholic identity, The Cardinal Newman Society needs your help now!

If we want to restore a Culture of Life to America… if we want to protect the institution of marriage… if we want to hand on the Faith to future generations… then we must ensure faithful Catholic education, and we must oppose dissent and disunity.

We have all had enough of scandal.

That is why I firmly believe in the great importance of The Cardinal Newman Society's work to fight for our religious liberty and demand genuine Catholic identity.

I am asking you today to join more than 20,000 Catholics who have already supported The Cardinal Newman Society.

Please be a part of the solution, and click here to support and receive updates on The Cardinal Newman Society's important work.

And may God bless you for all that will be accomplished with your support!

Catholic Blog Directory

2010-06-07T15:23:00.002-04:00

My blog is now listed on the Catholic Blog Directory. It is a list of over 2000 Catholic Blogs. It is an honor be included on this list. To see the list, visit the Catholic Blog Directory.

Thanks for visiting my blog and God bless!

Church on the Ball

2010-06-07T15:01:00.002-04:00

The World Cup in South Africa is just a few short days away. In preparation for the biggest sporting event in the world (maybe not for most Americans, but for most everybody else),this video talks about the work the church is doing in South Africa.

Church on the Ball from CatholicStudio on Vimeo.

Why We Pray

2010-06-04T20:51:00.000-04:00

Reflections on C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity: Book 1 Chapter 4

2010-06-02T21:41:00.001-04:00

What Lies Behind the Law

In chapter 4 of book 1, C.S. Lewis examines what the Law of Human Nature tells us about the universe. Since the start of their existence humans have wondered about what the world really is and how it came about. According to C.S. Lewis there are 2 central views.

1) Materialistic View
a. In the materialistic view, people believe that matter and space just happen to exist and always have, but nobody really knows why, and it just so happened to produce creatures like ourselves who are able to think.

2) Religious View
a. In the religious view, people believe that what lies behind the universe is a greater power that we cannot ever fully comprehend, nor can we ever fully understand why God created the universe how he did. However, those who believe in this view believe that God has a purpose for everything he made, including ourselves.

Science cannot defend or refute either view since science works by experiments; it answers how things are but not why things are. C.S. Lewis stresses that this is not a statement against science for science has often proved to be very valuable to the progress of mankind, but it is simply a statement of fact. He also contends that the only thing in the universe that we can know more about than we can learn from external observation is the human person. We do not merely observe people, we are people. For example, the moral law that is written on each one of our hearts is not something someone could know simply by observance without having this inside knowledge of the human person.

I mentioned that C.S. believed that there are two central views about which people view how and why the earth is what it is and how it came about, however C.S. Lewis points out that there is in fact an in-between third view.

3) Creative Evolution View
a. In the creative evolution view, people believe that the small variation by which the life on this planet evolved from the lowest forms to man were not by chance but by the striving of a “life-force.”

If by life-force they mean something like a mind bringing life into existence and leading it to perfection than their view is actually in line with the religious view; this mind they speak of is God. However, if they believe that this life-force is something without a mind, their view is fatally flawed just as the materialistic view is flawed according to C.S. Lewis. When this third view is absent of God, it becomes eerily similar to a popular belief and threat to Christianity in our present time; moral relativism. Many people find creative evolution so attractive because it gives one the emotional comfort of believing in God with none of the less pleasant consequences. We will find out in chapter five why this creative evolution view is flawed.

God bless!